Austria – known for the Alps, its nature & for being the capital of classical music.
The country is an insanely popular travel destination for those who love to ski.
This is understandable, as it apparently has amazing mountains for skiing (I cannot confirm – I hate snow and snow-related sports 🤪).
But besides skiing or snowboarding, Austria has much more to offer.
Many stunning palaces have to be seen, including as Belvedere Palace, chönbrunn Palace & The Hofburg.
Let's not forget about the many churches and cathedrals, like St. Stephen's Cathedral.
And certainly do not miss out on Fortress Hohensalzburg.
And if all these urban attractions sound too urban for you – worry not. There are plenty of hiking trails with stunning nature and landscapes you can enjoy.
What certainly will not be enjoyable is you dealing with an expensive international roaming bill because you forgot to turn data roaming off.
International roaming can be expensive, which is why I always recommend local SIM cards, like an Austrian one, so that you can enjoy local rates.
While SIM cards in Austria are not the cheapest in Europe, mobile data rates in the country do be one of the lowest in Central Europe.
You can get an Austrian SIM card for 9.90-10 EUR (10.60-10.75USD) from A1, Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile) & Drei (3) in their stores and from resellers, like Mediamarkt. SIM cards are also sold at Salzburg Airport (SZG) and Vienna International Airport (VIE).
There are some typical Northern- and Western European SIM card prices, so they are not outrageousl high.
But things can be much cheaper, like in Austria's neighboring countries. Anyway, we will focus on Austria alone for now!
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Austria. Let's do this.
Original publication: 31st of January 2022. Last updated: 1st of March 2024.
Table of Contents
What is the Best SIM Card in Austria?
So, who are all these mobile operators and what options are available for you?
Austria has three mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to tourists:
- A1 Austria
- Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
- Drei (3) Austria
Anyone in or visiting Austria can buy a Austrian SIM card with no real restrictions, but you do have to comply with the Austrian SIM card registration regulations.
- Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
Which, in this case, is only showing your passport (or European Union ID if you have one) at the point of sale.
Where Can You Buy a Austrian SIM Card (+Costs)?
You can get an Austrian SIM card in A1, Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile) & Drei (3) stores. Electronic shops, like Mediamarkt, also sell SIM cards. Some Austrian airports sell (tourist) SIM cards (at inflated prices).
You can expect to pay the following for Austrian SIM cards:
- A1 Austria: 9.90 EUR
- Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria): 10 EUR
- Drei (3) Austria: 9.90 EUR (regular & data-only)
Note that SIM cards can be more expensive than those listed above when purchased at an airport.
Use the Wise Currency Converter tool (free) for up-to-date EUR (Euro) to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) exchange rates.
For your convenience, below are some exchange rates between EUR and USD (US Dollars):
- 1 EUR = 1.05 USD
- 10 EUR = 10.70 USD
- 100 EUR = 107 USD
But for any other currency, the Wise Currency Converter tool.
(Travel) eSIMs for Austria
In recent years, (travel) eSIMs have become extremely popular.
Especially after Apple made iPhones (14- & 15 series) sold in the United States eSIM-only, forcing its users to use eSIMs – even when abroad.
As a result, the adoption of eSIM technology by mobile operators worldwide rose impressively quickly.
Currently, only Drei (3) Austria offers eSIMs to prepaid customers.
However, you first need to buy a regular SIM card (9.90 EUR) and then exchange it for an eSIM for 20 EUR, making the total 29.90 EUR – just for an eSIM.
But if you purchase an eSIM from any of these mobile operators, you must comply with Austria's SIM card registration regulations.
Suppose you do not wish to do so for privacy reasons (for example) or want to be connected immediately without paying for an overpriced SIM card (or eSIM) sold at a Austrian airport. In that case, you may consider getting a travel eSIM for Austria.
In my Austria eSIM buying guide, I analyze various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.
Surprisingly, travel eSIMs can be cheaper than a Austrian SIM card or eSIM in specific scenarios.
Moreover, Europe-wide and global eSIM options are also available at competitive prices (without having to deal with expensive international roaming rates).
In this Austria SIM card buying guide (the one you are reading), I will stick to the local SIM cards and eSIM, but you can read my Austria eSIM buying guide for more information about travel eSIMs covering the country.
But here is a quick overview already + applicable discount codes if you are interested in purchasing a travel eSIM for Austria:
- Airalo: Galli Mobil (formerly called Viennetz Mobil – Austria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + up to 200 worldwide minutes & 200 worldwide SMS)
- Alosim: Austria & Europe (32 countries)
- Holafly: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – all variants in both options include unlimited data + up to 120 Europe-wide calls
- Nomad: Austria, Europe (30 or 35 countries, depending on the variant) & Global (109 or 139 countries, depending on the variant)
Here are some discount codes to sweeten the deal:
- Airalo: MAR15 for 15% off (if you have never bought an Airalo eSIM before). Otherwise, MAR10 for 10% off (for existing users) – only the first 3000 users can redeem either discount code)
- Alosim: PTW for 5% off (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want)
- Holafly: PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want)
- Nomad: ADU123 for 3 USD off (on your first-ever Nomad order only)
Once again, check out my Austria eSIM buying guide to learn more about these eSIM options.
The eSIM guide is as comprehensive as this SIM card buying guide, but it solely focuses on travel eSIMs (while the guide you are reading focuses on local SIM cards and eSIMs for prepaid users (where applicable).
Austrian Prepaid SIM Cards Explored
Below, I will guide you through A1 Austria, Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile) & Drei (3) Austria, and go through:
- Background information
- Mobile coverage
- SIM card types, prices & availability
- Recharge/top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans & special packs (such as social media packs)
With that said, let's see what Austria offers us.
A1 Austria
A1 Austria, just A1, is the largest mobile operator in Austria.
However, Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria) takes the #1 position every now and then due to subscriber numbers being so close to each other.
A1 has the best overall network performance.
A1, as a company from Austria, is also active in Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia & Slovenia.
A1 uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
- 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
- VoLTE: Yes
- VoWiFi: Yes
This is what you will learn about A1:
* Coverage
* How to Get an A1 SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – A1 Austria
A1 has the best coverage in Austria.
This was also confirmed by Opensignal.
Below is A1's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see A1's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – A1 Austria
You can get an A1 SIM card, called B.free Wertkarte, for 9.90 EUR with 5000 units (regular SIM card) for 28 days, or the B.free Internet Wertkarte with 5000 MB for 28 days (data-only SIM card), in A1 stores and electronic shops, like Mediamarkt. A1 SIM cards are not sold at Vienna International Airport (VIE).
It is recommended to purchase your A1 SIM card in A1 or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration.
Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free – also for A1).
Other retailers will want to charge you too (like Hartlauer – 6.25 EUR registration fee or post offices – up to 10 EUR), so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides A1 stores or Mediamarkt.
Otherwise, you can register your A1 SIM card online (for free) by video identification.
If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
While A1 does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.
You can consider getting a travel eSIM for Austria, which can, in specific scenarios, be cheaper than getting a SIM card from A1.
Especially if you get a Europe-wide eSIM (for when you visit at least two or more supported European countries) or a global eSIM (for frequent travelers visiting multiple continents).
In my Austria eSIM buying guide, I analyze various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.
But I will introduce them here quickly:
- Airalo: Galli Mobil (formerly called Viennetz Mobil – Austria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + up to 200 worldwide minutes & 200 worldwide SMS) – use code MAR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or MAR10 (10% off)
- Alosim: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
- Holafly: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – all variants in both options include unlimited data + up to 120 Europe-wide calls – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
- Nomad: Austria, Europe (30 or 35 countries, depending on the variant) & Global (109 or 139 countries, depending on the variant) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)
Once again, check out my Austria eSIM buying guide to learn more about these eSIM options.
For now, I will continue with A1.
Note that A1 offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.
Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – A1 Austria
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – A1 Austria
A1 has three data-featured prepaid plans:
- B.free Tarife (combo)
- B.free Internet (data for SIM card)
- Data Add-Ons
All A1 plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to the corresponding number.
I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).
To convert EUR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
B.free Tarife – A1 Austria
The B.free Tarife (tariffs) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
Text the Activation Code to the corresponding number to activate B.free Tarife:
Price | Plan | Data | EU/EEA Data | Local Minutes | Local/EU Minutes | International (EU) Minutes | Local SMS | Local/EU SMS | International (EU) SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | B.free XS | 6 GB | N/A | 1000 minutes | N/A | N/A | 1000 SMS | N/A | N/A | 28 days | YES to 2976 |
15 EUR | B.free S | 15 GB | N/A | 1000 minutes | N/A | N/A | 1000 SMS | N/A | N/A | 28 days | YES to 2977 |
20 EUR | B.free M | 18 GB | 14 GB | 2000 minutes | Shared with local call allowance | 100 minutes | 2000 SMS | Shared with local call allowance | 100 SMS | 28 days | YES to 2978 |
30 EUR | B.free L | 30 GB | 28 GB | 3000 minutes | Shared with local call allowance | 150 minutes | 3000 SMS | Shared with local call allowance | 150 SMS | 28 days | YES to 2979 |
B.free Internet Plans – A1 Austria
The B.free Internet Plans are data bundles (without 5G NR access) for the B.free data SIM card.
B.free Internet Plans can be activated on the Mein A1 app:
Price | Plan | Data | Speed | Validity |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | B.free Data S | 8 GB | 50 Mbps/10 Mbps | 28 days |
22 EUR | B.free Data L | 20 GB | 100 Mbps/20 Mbps | 28 days |
28 EUR | B.free Data Unlimited | Unlimited | 20 Mbps/5 Mbps | 28 days |
Data Add-Ons – A1 Austria
The Data Add-Ons are, as the name implies, data add-ons (without 5G NR access). They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
Text the Activation Code to the corresponding number to activate Add-Ons:
Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
---|---|---|---|
0.90 EUR | Unlimited | 1 hour | SURFH to 2099 |
5 EUR | 1 GB | 28 days | JA to 2945 |
7 EUR | 3 GB | 28 days | JA to 2933 |
9 EUR | 5 GB | 28 days | JA to 2934 |
13 EUR | 10 GB | 28 days | JA to 2935 |
EU Roaming – A1 Austria
You can use your A1 allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:
- Åland Islands
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- Germany
- Greece
- Guadeloupe
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Martinique
- Mayotte
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Réunion
- Romania
- Saint Martin
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.
My Review – A1 Austria
I had the chance to try out A1 again in March 2022.
While I did not have the best speeds because you have to pay top dollar if you want fast speeds, I did hit maximum speed most of the time.
Moreover, A1's coverage is excellent.
You can read my A1 Austria review here.
APN/Internet Settings – A1 Austria
- Name: A1
- APN: A1.net
- Username: [email protected]
- Password: ppp
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
Magenta Telekom, often referred to as just Magenta and formerly T-Mobile Austria, is the second-largest mobile operator in Austria.
However, Magenta Telekom and A1 Austria often switch positions because of how close the subscriber numbers are.
(Magenta) Telekom, by Deutsche Telekom (from Germany), is active in Europe (as Telekom and T-Mobile) and the United States (as T-Mobile).
Magenta Telekom uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
- 5G NR: 700 MHz (n28), 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
- VoLTE: Yes
- VoWiFi: Yes
This is what you will learn about Magenta Telekom:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Magenta Telekom SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
Magenta Telekom has the best 4G/LTE availability.
This was also confirmed by Opensignal.
Below is Magenta Telekom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
You can get a Magenta Telekom SIM card, called Klax, for 10 EUR with 10 EUR credit and the Klax M plan (15 GB of data, 10 GB in the EU/EEA & 1500 local/EU minutes/SMS for 28 days) in Magenta Telekom stores and electronic shops, like Mediamarkt. Data-only SIM cards (Internet Klax) are sold for 10 EUR, 25 EUR, or 35 EUR. Magenta Telekom SIM cards are not sold at Vienna International Airport (VIE).
You have to make a call or send an SMS to activate your Magenta Telekom SIM card.
The following three Magenta Telekom data-only SIM cards (Internet Klax) are available:
Price | SIM Card | Data | Speed | Validity |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | Mobile Internet Klax Basic | N/A | N/A | 12 months |
25 EUR | Internet Klax 30 Startpaket | “Unlimited”, 5 TB | 30 Mbps/6 Mbps | 28 days |
35 EUR | Internet Klax 70 Startpaket | “Unlimited”, 5 TB | 70 Mbps/14 Mbps | 28 days |
It is recommended to purchase your Magenta Telekom SIM card in Magenta Telekom or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration.
Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free – also for Magenta Telekom).
Other retailers will want to charge you too (like Hartlauer – 6.25 EUR registration fee or post offices – up to 10 EUR), so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides Magenta Telekom stores or Mediamarkt.
Otherwise, you can register your Magenta Telekom SIM card online (for free) by video identification.
If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
While Magenta Telekom does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.
You may want to get a travel eSIM for Austria, which can be cheaper than getting a SIM card from Magenta Telekom (in some cases).
Especially when getting a Europe-wide eSIM if you do not stay in just Austria or a global eSIM valid for up to a year if you want one eSIM to work practically worldwide.
My Austria eSIM buying guide analyzes various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.
Here is a quick introduction to them:
- Airalo: Galli Mobil (formerly called Viennetz Mobil – Austria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + call and text feature) – use code MAR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or MAR10 (10% off)
- Alosim: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
- Holafly: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – these eSIMs have unlimited data + calling feature – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
- Nomad: Austria, Europe (up to 35 countries) & Global (up to 139 countries) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)
For more information, such as the prices and data allowances, check out my Austria eSIM buying guide.
But let's continue with Magenta Telekom for now.
Note that Magenta Telekom offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.
Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
Magenta Telekom has four data-featured prepaid plans:
- Klax Plans (combo)
- Mobile Internet Klax (data for SIM card)
- Klax Flex Volume Boost (combo add-ons using a unit system)
- Klax Data Volume Boost (data add-ons)
All Magenta Telekom plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 06722222.
I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).
To convert EUR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Klax Plans – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
The Klax Plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
Text the Activation Code to 06722222 to activate Klax Plans:
Price | Plan | Data | Local Speed (Download/Upload) | EU/EEA Data | Local/EU Minutes | International Minutes | Local/EU SMS | Validity | Activation Code | Deactivation Code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | Klax S | 10 GB | 20 Mbps/5 Mbps | 10 GB | 1000 minutes | N/A | Shared with call allowance | 28 days | S 20 GB | Stop S |
15 EUR | Klax M | 15 GB | 50 Mbps/10 Mbps | 10 GB | 1500 minutes | N/A | Shared with call allowance | 28 days | M 25 GB | Stop M |
20 EUR | Klax L | 20 GB | 100 Mbps/50 Mbps | 10 GB | 2000 minutes | 100 minutes | Shared with call allowance | 28 days | L 30 GB | Stop L |
30 EUR | Klax XL | 30 GB | 150 Mbps/50 Mbps | 10 GB | 3000 minutes | 150 minutes | Shared with call allowance | 28 days | XL 40 GB | Stop XL |
Mobile Internet Klax Plans – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
The Mobile Internet Klax Plans are data bundles (without 5G NR access) for the Internet Klax data-only SIM card.
Text the Activation Code to 06722222 to activate Mobile Internet Klax:
Price | Plan | Data | Local Speed | Validity | Activation Code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | Mobile Internet Klax S | 8 GB | 20 Mbps/5 Mbps | 28 days | Internet Klax S |
18 EUR | Mobile Internet Klax M | 18 GB | 50 Mbps/10 Mbps | 28 days | Internet Klax M |
25 EUR | Internet Klax 30 | “Unlimited”, 5 TB | 30 Mbps/6 Mbps | 28 days | Dedicated SIM card purchase |
35 EUR | Internet Klax 70 | “Unlimited”, 5 TB | 70 Mbps/14 Mbps | 28 days | Dedicated SIM card purchase |
Klax Flex Volume Boost Add-Ons – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
The Klax Flex Volume Boost Add-Ons are combo add-ons using a unit system. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
1 unit equals 1 MB (without 5G NR access), 1 minute, or 1 SMS.
Text the Activation Code to 06722222 to activate Klax Flex Volume Boost:
Price | Plan | Units | Validity | Activation Code | Deactivation Code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Flex Volume Boost 100 | 100 units | Until plan expires | Flex 100 | Stop Flex 100 |
4 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Flex Volume Boost 1000 | 1000 units | Until plan expires | Flex 1000 | Stop Flex 1000 |
6 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Flex Volume Boost 3000 | 3000 units | Until plan expires | Flex 3000 | Stop Flex 3000 |
9 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Flex Volume Boost 5000 | 5000 units | Until plan expires | Flex 5000 | Stop Flex 5000 |
Klax Flex Volume Boost auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 06722222.
Klax Data Volume Boost Add-Ons – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
The Klax Data Volume Boost Add-Ons are data add-ons (without 5G NR access). They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
Text the Activation Code to 06722222 to activate Klax Data Volume Boost:
Price | Plan | Data | Validity | Activation Code | Deactivation Code |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Data Volume Boost 100 MB | 100 MB | Until plan expires | 100 MB | STOP 100 MB |
4 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Data Volume Boost 1 GB | 1 GB | Until plan expires | 1 GB | STOP 1 GB |
6 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Data Volume Boost 3 GB | 3 GB | Until plan expires | 3 GB | STOP 3 GB |
9 EUR | Zusatzpaket Klax Data Volume Boost 5 GB | 5 GB | Until plan expires | 5 GB | STOP 5 GB |
EU Roaming – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
You can use your Magenta Telekom allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:
- Azores
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Canary Islands
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Guadeloupe
- Guernsey
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Italy
- Jersey
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madeira
- Malta
- Martinique
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Réunion
- Romania
- Saint Barthélemy
- Saint Martin
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- Vatican City
Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.
My Review – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
I had the chance to try out Magenta Telekom again in March 2022.
While I did not have the best speeds because you have to pay top dollar if you want fast speeds, I did hit maximum speed most of the time.
Moreover, Magenta Telekom's coverage is excellent.
You can read my Magenta Telekom review here.
APN/Internet Settings – Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria)
- Name: T-Mobile A Internet
- APN: internet.t-mobile.at
- Username: t-mobile
- Password: tm
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Drei (3) Austria
Drei, sometimes written as just 3 (from Hutchison 3G Enterprises), is the smallest mobile operator in Austria.
It currently has the fastest 5G NR speeds, which are (sadly) not available to prepaid customers (yet).
It also won the Austria Fastest 5G (NR) Mobile Network Speedtest Award of 2021.
Three, as a company, is active in Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Indonesia (as Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison), Italy (as Wind Tre), Macau, Sweden & the United Kingdom.
Drei uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
- 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
- VoLTE: Yes
- VoWiFi: Yes
This is what you will learn about Drei:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Drei SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Drei (3) Austria
Drei (3) has the worst coverage in Austria. However, it is on par with its 5G NR coverage.
Drei is betting big time on 5G NR.
It has always been behind with other generations of cellular networks, resulting in Drei having the smallest market share.
For now, you will not be able to experience Drei's 5G NR network yet because it is not available to prepaid customers.
While Drei has the worst network, (4G/LTE) reception is available almost anywhere.
Below is Drei's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Drei's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Drei (3) Austria
You can get a Drei (3) SIM card for 9.90 EUR with 4 GB of data, 1000 local minutes, 1000 local SMS for 30 days, or 10 GB for 30 days in Drei stores and electronic shops, like Mediamarkt. Drei SIM cards are not sold at Vienna International Airport (VIE).
Price | Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
---|---|---|---|---|
9.90 EUR | 4 GB | 1000 minutes | 1000 SMS | 30 days |
9.90 EUR | 10 GB | N/A | N/A | 30 days |
It is recommended to purchase your Drei SIM card in Drei or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration.
Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free – also for Drei).
Other retailers will want to charge you too (like Hartlauer – 6.25 EUR registration fee or post offices – up to 10 EUR), so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides Drei stores or Mediamarkt.
Otherwise, you can register your Drei SIM card online (for free) by video identification.
If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Moving on – it is also possible to get a Drei eSIM for an exchange fee of 20 EUR (meaning that you need to purchase a physical Drei SIM card first before swapping it for an eSIM).
You should consider getting a travel eSIM for Austria because they can sometimes be cheaper than getting a SIM card from Drei.
Especially if you get a Europe-wide eSIM or a global eSIM.
I discuss various eSIM options of eSIM providers for Austria in my Austria eSIM buying guide, which are:
- Airalo: Galli Mobil (formerly called Viennetz Mobil – Austria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + minutes and SMS) – use code MAR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or MAR10 (10% off)
- Alosim: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
- Holafly: Austria & Europe (32 countries) – unlimited data eSIMs which allow for (limited) calls – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
- Nomad: Austria, Europe (up to 35 countries) & Global (up to 139 countries) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)
As I said, check out my Austria eSIM buying guide for more information, as I have to continue with Drei for now.
Note that Drei offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.
Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Drei (3) Austria
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Drei (3) Austria
Drei has three data-featured prepaid plans:
- Telefonie Tarife (combo)
- Surf (data)
- Monatspakete/Monthly Packages (data add-ons)
All Drei plans can be activated on the Wertkarte app.
I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).
To convert EUR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Telefonie Tarife – Drei (3) Austria
The Telefonie Tarife (Tariffs) are combo plans with data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
Telefonie Tarife can be activated on the Wertkarte app:
Price | Plan | Data | Local Speed | EU/EEA Data | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | Local/EU Minutes | Local SMS | Local/EU SMS | Validity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 EUR | Talk Basic | 15 GB | 20 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | Unlimited | 1000 minutes | N/A | 1000 SMS | N/A | 30 days |
10 EUR | Talk EU S | 25 GB | 50 Mbps/20 Mbps | 11 GB | Unlimited | 1000 minutes | Shared with local minutes allowance | 1000 SMS | Shared with local SMS allowance | 30 days |
15 EUR | Talk EU M | 30 GB | 100 Mbps/50 Mbps | 17 GB | Unlimited | 1500 minutes | Shared with local minutes allowance | 1500 SMS | Shared with local SMS allowance | 30 days |
20 EUR | Talk EU L | 35 GB | 100 Mbps/50 Mbps | 22 GB | Unlimited | 2000 minutes | Shared with local minutes allowance | 2000 SMS | Shared with local SMS allowance | 30 days |
30 EUR | Talk EU XL | Unlimited 1 | 150 Mbps/50 Mbps | 35 GB | Unlimited | 3000 minutes | Shared with local minutes allowance 2, 3 | 3000 SMS | Shared with local SMS allowance | 30 days |
1 5G-enabled
2 + 300 minutes for Iceland, Liechtenstein & Norway
3 + 50 minutes outside EU² from Austria to Australia, Canada, China, Switzerland, Turkey & USA
Surf Plans – Drei (3) Austria
The Surf Plans are data bundles (with 5G NR access).
Surf can be activated on the Wertkarte app:
Price | Plan | Data | Local Speed | EU/EEA Data | Validity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 EUR | Surf 8 GB | 8 GB | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 30 days |
10 EUR | Surf 365-Tage 3 GB | 3 GB | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 365 days |
20 EUR | Surf 365-Tage 60 GB | 6 GB | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 365 days |
20 EUR | Surf 20 GB | 20 GB | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 30 days |
30 EUR | Surf 365-Tage 20 GB | 20 GB | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 365 days |
30 EUR | Surf Flat 30 | Unlimited | 30 Mbps/10 Mbps | N/A | 30 days |
40 EUR | Surf 365-Tage 30 GB | 30 GB | 50 Mbps/20 Mbps | N/A | 365 days |
40 EUR | Surf Flat 150 | Unlimited | 150 Mbps/50 Mbps | 38 GB | 30 days |
Monatspakete (Monthly Packages) – Drei (3) Austria
The Monatspakete are data add-ons (without 5G NR access). They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
Text the Activation Code to 4040 to activate Monatspakete:
Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
---|---|---|---|
5 EUR | 3 GB | 30 days | Daten3 |
10 EUR | 8 GB | 30 days | Daten8 |
EU Roaming – Drei (3) Austria
You can use your Drei (3) allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:
- Åland Islands
- Azores
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Canary Islands
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Greece
- Guadeloupe
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Madeira
- Malta
- Martinique
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Réunion
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Austria
Getting a SIM card from A1 or Drei (3) would do you well when considering an Austrian SIM card.
Going to other places around the world? You should also check out my SIM card buying guides for other destinations worldwide.