Deutsche Telekom is switching traditional landline connections to mobile-based service; around 1.3 million connections nationwide are affected. The price comparison portal Verivox stated on Wednesday that the associated plans are “high-priced.” Cheaper plans could “at least halve—and often even quarter—the costs.”
Two weeks ago, Telekom announced that traditional landline connections would be “gradually” switched to “suitable alternatives.” Customers who do not want a combined package including DSL or fiber-optic internet can opt for a mobile-based solution: using a box connected between the telephone and the wall socket (known as “Call Connect via Funk”), Telekom states that almost all landline phones can continue to be used as usual—only via the mobile network. The box includes a SIM card, and the existing landline number remains unchanged.
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The phone box costs €3.95 per month or €99.99 as a one-off payment; Telekom offers two plan options: “Call Basic via Funk” includes 120 free minutes and costs €22.95 per month, while “Call Comfort via Funk” includes unlimited calls to German landlines and costs €32.45 per month.
“It can be done much more cheaply,” explained Verivox, noting that mobile plans with unlimited calls to all networks are available starting at around five euros a month—for instance, on the Vodafone and Telefónica networks. This results in annual savings of €215.52—or €262.92 if the cost of the box is excluded—amounting to less than a quarter of the cost of the Telekom plans. Those who prefer to stay on the Telekom network could still more than halve their monthly costs by switching to a cheaper plan.
“For those who do not wish to get used to smartphones and touchscreens, there are desktop phones that look like classic landline units but operate on mobile networks using a SIM card,” explained Verivox expert Jörg Schamberg. The cost of such devices is usually below the 100 euros charged for the Telekom ‘Funkbox’.
Author: AFP – ilo/pe – Translated by Blackout News
Sources: AFP Press Portal