Does anybody have any insight into phone service in Vilseck, Germany?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 00:54:45 -0500

So i'm PCSing to vilseck and sponser I have over there isn't being very responsive. My two questions are phone service who's best and should we buy the phone here in the states and second question is where should we make hotel reservations vilseck or Graf?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 1:22 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 01:22:14 -0500

So I will tell you that the phone companies when I was there were Vodafone and T-Mobile. Neither one was good. Try to do some research before you commit to anything. The hotel reservation depends on what unit you're going. If you're going to 2CR I would make it in Vilseck if not do it in Graf. Vilseck is small enough that if you need to go anywhere you can walk. Good Luck, have fun and travel as much as you can while you there.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 1:30 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 01:30:06 -0500

I was stationed in Vilseck from 2003-08 and I got a cell phone off base. If your current carrier has an international plan, I would sign up for it if you don’t wanna purchase a cell phone in Germany. You can stay at the Kristall Inn on Vilseck. Always purchase foreign currency from an off post bank/ATM.

Response by SPC Tiffany Ivanov made Nov 18 at 2017 3:06 AM

SPC Tiffany Ivanov — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 03:06:07 -0500

I'm stationed here in Vilseck too. The post is very small, about 2.2 miles from gate to gate. To help with your questions:
1. Phone service here is shit. Period. Personally, my advice is to have your phone unlocked and use international plan. You can buy a $25 burner phone here and upload minutes for great reception and use it for work/field training if you want. A lot of us do. Also, What's App is damn near a mandatory thing. It's how we communicate for free rather than massaging fees. Your sponsor will likely communicate more if you contact that way, which is ridiculous but true.
2. Reserving a room in Vilseck is your best bet. Especially since you won't have transportation for a while. It's getting cold and bus schedule is reliable but a pain when traveling to and from. If you will contact me I can get your pertinent info and take care of that for you. It will at least ensure you have a place when you get here.

Are you married? Dependents? Report date? Do you have orders already? It sucks your sponsor isn't great, but I'll help you out. Hopefully you are flying into Ramstein. They will give you a hotel room overnight and bus you to Grafenwoehr the following day where your sponsor should meet you to pick you up. If you already have orders I can get you a post office box so that you can send a package forward with a few necessities to be waiting for you when you arrive.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 9:38 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 09:38:16 -0500

You also get a magic jack and a regular house to call back to the states it was pretty cheap like 25 bucks a year or something and hooks right up to your computer.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 18 at 2017 6:51 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 18:51:23 -0500

Well, to be honest from my past experience you will want to go with T Mobile. Because I was in the field in Hornsfield and Ingot great signal. T Mobile is a Germany company and all the pay phones I saw are T Mobile. As far as getting a room I would say Crystal Inn since that where you will be station. Vilseck and Graf are in the rural area of Germany. The closes city is Nuremberg and Amberg from there. I would highly recommend you learn how to drive manual transmission if you don't know how or if you don't have a car or a second car on the way. Since they don't like driving automatic over there. I hope you have a blast over there. I was there from 2010 to 2012. I had an amazing time and would go back in a heartbeat.

Response by CW4 Robert Augur made Nov 20 at 2017 11:06 AM

CW4 Robert Augur — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 11:06:33 -0500

Contact the USO in Grafenwor. They can help you with just about anything. Great people!
http://bavaria.uso.org/?_ga=2.180 [login to see] 37 [login to see] [login to see] 52 [login to see]

Response by SGT Victoria Belbusti made Nov 24 at 2017 9:22 PM

SGT Victoria Belbusti — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 21:22:05 -0500

O2 had the best customer service and prices. They are right outside the main gate by Graf. The ones on post will rip you off.

Response by SGT Victoria Belbusti made Nov 24 at 2017 9:26 PM

SGT Victoria Belbusti — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 21:26:40 -0500

Cell service sucks all around in Europe. Even if you use your international plan, you use the same towers that use for the locals. It doesn’t make sense to do that since it’s way more expensive. I did ok with O2 when I was there, and was able to use it all over with great service. There is a cell tower ON Vilseck that wasn’t turned on due to some legal issues with the locals not wanting one. They turned it on for two weeks and it was awesome. Not sure if they ever turned it on for good, if so, O2 is def your best bet and you will have the better service when you travel.

Response by SFC James Heath made Nov 29 at 2017 9:08 PM

SFC James Heath — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 21:08:47 -0500

You can get worldwide service from the states. You can also get service from PX contractors.

Response by SSgt John Taylor-Meader made Feb 19 at 2018 5:47 PM

SSgt John Taylor-Meader — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 17:47:25 -0500

T-mobile was the only cell service 10 yrs ago. Probably still the same.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Feb 19 at 2018 5:56 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 17:56:05 -0500

O2 outside Graf wasn't bad. They had internet plans as well... Expectation management though, this isn't the states, great internet in Germany is mediocre internet in the states (West coast, I know the East Coast is like a decade behind the west).

Response by Glas Vladak made Jul 26 at 2023 10:41 AM

Glas Vladak — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:41:05 -0400

Hey! Congrats on your upcoming PCS to Vilseck! For phone service, I'd recommend checking out options from local providers and also considering https://www.mightycall.com/business-phone-service/ business phone service for reliable international communication. As for hotels, it might be more convenient to reserve in Vilseck since it's closer to your destination. Safe travels, and best of luck with your move!

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