People in Germany paying too much for mobile internet, say consumer advocates

People in Germany are paying far above the European average for mobile internet, for “no comprehensible reason”, a consumer association has said. 

Cost of mobile data in Germany above European average

Surfing on your mobile phone in Germany costs a lot more than it does in most other European countries, a new price comparison has revealed. The Federation of German Consumer Organisations compared the cost of mobile data across Europe and found that internet is significantly cheaper in not only countries like Estonia, Romania and Poland, but also neighbouring countries such as France and Italy. 

According to the comparison, a gigabyte of mobile data cost an average of 3,35 euros in Germany in 2019 - the same as in the UK and slightly less than in Spain (3,58 euros). That’s less than half of what it cost a few years ago in 2016, when the average gigabyte would set you back 6,88 euros. However, it’s a lot more expensive than what users in France (3,18 euros), Italy (1,65 euros) and Poland (0,83 euros) can expect to pay. 

Lack of competition on German mobile telephony market

“The bare figures show that we in Germany have some of the most expensive fees and prices for mobile communications and mobile internet,” said the head of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, Klaus Müller. “That leaves us dissatisfied.” He added that there was no logical reason for the price difference, except a lack of competition on the German market. 

He advocated measures to help Germany digitise more quickly and also slash prices - such as cutting the minimum duration of contracts. He said that politicians should listen to consumers over internet and telephone companies. “They want more flexibility and affordable prices.”