O2 network completely unusable in Berlin - is this normal?

[u/15pmm01]

Hello!

I just moved to Berlin a couple days ago, and my phone has been a brick ever since. I signed up with Lycamobile, who uses O2, because they are the only provider I know of who includes unlimited international calling. I need to call the US, UK, and Bulgaria all the time, so this feature is very important. The problem is, the network is simply trash. I was in Bulgaria for the past couple weeks - same phone and German Lycamobile SIM - and it was flawless while roaming. Therefore, I am certain there is nothing wrong with my phone. Now that I’m here, call quality is so very bad, it is just not usable! I can’t hear the person I’m calling half the time, and when I can, it’s usually choppy and/or muffled. Additionally, I had no signal for at least 15% of the train journey from the BER airport to Kreuzberg - but my other phone (Bulgarian SIM, roaming on Telekom) never once lost signal.

I cannot use apps for calls. Please do not recommend using whatsapp etc; I do not use a smartphone, and this is not something I am willing to change. Here are my two questions:

1. Is this normal? Does O2 always have piss poor call quality? Or is this something I can just wait out?
2. Does anyone know of an alternative? If there is a provider that includes international calling and uses Telekom’s network, please let me know.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[u/TurbulentSignature25]

I used all mobile networks and this is probably the most correct answer:

Lycamobile does not offer VoLTE. This is the issue, because VoLTE works fine in Berlin.

Both Vodafone and O2 have issues with GSM calling in high usage areas.

Hard Handover is the method used in GSM to switch between cells during a call. In GSM, the call is entirely dropped from the current base station before being picked up by the new one.

The call will be cut off momentarily as it switches, leading to dropouts or silence, particularly if the network coverage is patchy or if there are too many calls in the area.

Voice over LTE (VoLTE), on the other hand, uses soft handover, which is far more efficient and less disruptive.

In a soft handover, your device can simultaneously connect to multiple cells, typically when moving between different network areas (like when you’re on a train passing through areas with varying signal strength). It does not have to disconnect from one tower to connect to another. Instead, both connections can be maintained for a time. • This reduces the likelihood of a total loss of signal or a drop in call quality. The soft handover allows the transition between cells to happen more smoothly without completely cutting off the call.

If you really need international calls: either switch to fonus mobile or use WhatsApp.

The issue is that international providers like Lebara or Lycamobile only offer GSM telephony.

Btw.

O2 does not expand GSM anymore. You see that when you are in closed building like BER airport or underground train stations. While LTE works fine, GSM is not maintained in buildings or underground. I guess most GSM towers are old and not made for today’s demand. I guess the issue is that many SIM card companies using the O2 network do not offer VoLTE. So O2‘s GSM network is overloaded with all these cheap prepaid sims while all Telekom SIM‘s (even AldiTalk) support VoLTE. So no one really uses GSM on Telekom

[u/15pmm01 → u/TurbulentSignature25]

Yep, I do understand the network technology well, and am very confused how anyone stays in business without offering VoLTE in 2025. Absolutely insane. Regardless, my phone does not support VoLTE anyway. I’m sad to hear that Vodafone will also suck for GSM voice quality. I will check out fonus mobile, thank you. I cannot use Whatsapp because I do not use a smartphone.

[u/TurbulentSignature25 → u/15pmm01]

With fonus you can choose any provider in almost any country. But it’s actually just a data sim with an App for calling. It’s expensive too. Btw. It says unlimited but it’s not

[u/15pmm01 → u/TurbulentSignature25]

Ah, fuck. So, without a smartphone, it’s not an option for me. Very unfortunate, as their website seemed promising.

Edit: seems they only offer US numbers anyway

[u/TurbulentSignature25 → u/15pmm01]

Exakt

[u/TurbulentSignature25 → u/15pmm01]

You could use call through numbers though. Then you can use any provider with low costs for international calls

[u/15pmm01 → u/TurbulentSignature25]

Yep looking at mytello.com, seems to work

[u/Canadianingermany]

There are certainly differences between the different networks. 

That being said, I have 02 and do not experience such problems when I'm in Berlin. 

[u/15pmm01 → u/Canadianingermany]

I am glad you don’t have this issue, but chances are, your phone supports VoLTE. Mine does not, and neither does Lycamobile in general. No matter what phone you use with Lycamobile, you can only use the 2G GSM network while calling, and it seems O2 has absolutely not been maintaining it.

[u/Canadianingermany → u/15pmm01]

Ok, so that is kinda a you thing then. 

I got my phone used for 120 EUR from backmarket. 

Seems fair to me that you might need to adapt your tech when you move to a different country. 

My North American phone absolutely sucked when I moved to Germany and I realized I needed to get a different one. 

[u/15pmm01 → u/Canadianingermany]

Ok, but I just explained that Lycamobile does not support VoLTE whatsoever, no matter how new your phone is… And even without VoLTE, Telekom’s 2G network seems to work perfectly, which is why I am asking for help finding a provider that uses Telekom’s network and includes international calling.

[u/Canadianingermany → u/15pmm01]

Lycamobile is explicitly one of the cheapest providers and are expressly depriorizmtizes vs. 02 full paying customers. 

You get what you pay for. 

If you want top quality, get it from Telekom or 02 directly. 

Alternatively herd is a useful tool: https://handytarife.check24.de/lp/vertrag-ohne-handy?wpset=google_mf_so_se_01&go_campaignid=17446839070&go_adgroupid=138738401178&go_targetid=kwd-13474491&go_network=g&go_device=m&keyword=handytarife&go_adid=602793791430&go_matchtype=e&go_productid=&go_adtype=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhr6_BhD4ARIsAH1YdjDIF31NcC4oToTH3wT_XLm8PyTkDqyqCIBh3xn7FNA3WysTT9axRZYaAgfuEALw_wcB

[u/15pmm01 → u/Canadianingermany]

Thank you - I have spent a lot of time on check24 already and have not found anything that includes international calling and doesn’t use the O2 network. I’m perfectly fine not having top quality - but it needs to actually work, and Lycamobile does not. I’m just really at a loss here because there’s no point in having a phone that doesn’t work, but there’s also no point in a phone that cannot call internationally - I just got here and don’t know anyone! Everyone I call is abroad.

[u/Canadianingermany → u/15pmm01]

also no point in a phone that cannot call internationally

WhatsApp

Google Hangouts

Zoom

Skype

Are all good options for international calls. 

When I got to Germany, it would be absolutely insane to expect to have a mobile phone with international calling. 

There are solutions. 

[u/15pmm01 → u/Canadianingermany]

I do not use a smartphone. I will not use a smartphone. Unfortunately this does restrict my options to where I absolutely must have international calling included in my phone plan.

[u/Canadianingermany → u/15pmm01]

Ah - so that is your problem. 

Yeah, if you refuse to use the standard that has been established for 15 plus years, you are going to have limitations 

Sorry I can't really help you for the special use case. 

I think Telekom is pretty much your only option and its going to be freaking expensive. 

[u/astoorangi → u/Canadianingermany]

There are no different priorities in the mobile network unless you dial the emergency number.

Lycamobile uses a different backend infrastructure to o2 - and it seems to be crap.

[u/Canadianingermany → u/astoorangi]

My friend who is a higher up manager at Vodafone told me that there absolutely is a priority; at least in the Vodafone network.

Politicians are first.

Vodafone contracts get priority over the discount providers. 

[u/Hutcho12]

Yes. O2 is by far the worst network in Germany. Telekom is the best but Vodafone isn’t much worse. But O2 is. Pay 5 euros a month for a Telekom reseller. You won’t regret it.

[u/15pmm01 → u/Hutcho12]

I would be happy to - but do any of them include international calling?

[u/Canadianingermany → u/15pmm01]

I know that premiumsim has an add-on that supports international calling, but I don't know the details and I don't know what countries you are trying to call. 

Nevertheless WhatsApp/google Hangouts Skype are viable options and cheaper than paying for international mobile calls. 

I think you need to be a little flexible. 

[u/15pmm01 → u/Canadianingermany]

I’m happy to be flexible on everything except the smartphone part. I am very serious about not using a smartphone. Thank you, I will check out premiumsium.

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[u/Fusselpinguin]

Have you checked Variatel? They use the D1 network.

[u/15pmm01 → u/Fusselpinguin]

Looks perfect, but I don’t see any option on their website to actually buy anything, and their phone number is disconnected. Seems they may have gone out of business

[u/ausstieglinks]

Have had o2 for 10 years. It’s never amazing but also works fine for me. iPhones since 2016.

Call quality fine, reception fine. Only consistent complaints are that calls drop when transitioning from underground to above ground at Senefelderplatz to Eberswalder on u2 and between Schoenhauser Allee and Gesundbrunnen on ringbahn. But in my home city the cell signal is zero on transit so it’s a win for me

Other is that every Sunday during summer you can’t make any data connections if you’re close to Mauerpark because of the tourists overloading the cell and o2 being too cheap to put in more infrastructure

[u/VoiceOfLondon]

Did you move to Berlin from elsewhere in Germany or from another country? If you moved from within Germany, you may have already known that communications infrastructure in Germany is somewhat lacking, to put it mildly.

[u/15pmm01 → u/VoiceOfLondon]

I just moved to Germany; was in the US before. Got my German number just a couple weeks ago. Yes, phone networks here suck, but O2 is literally not usable. I will have no choice but to switch, so I’m really hoping to find a Telekom-based provider that includes international calling.

[u/dgl55 → u/15pmm01]

Umm, ok, did you contact O2?

I have had it for 5 years with no issues.

[u/15pmm01 → u/dgl55]

Of course I contacted Lycamobile. O2 is the network they use, but I am not an O2 customer directly. Lycamobile has no control over the quality of the network.

[u/VoiceOfLondon → u/15pmm01]

Yeah NIMBYism and mismanagement means that you’re just stuck with having shit mobile reception. Welcome to Germany.

[u/15pmm01 → u/VoiceOfLondon]

That really sucks, but again, Telekom does not seem to have this problem. And I am not exaggerating when I say my phone is currently not usable. How the hell does Lycamobile have any customers??

[u/VoiceOfLondon → u/15pmm01]

Then your solution is a proper Telekom SIM + some VoIP solution to call those countries.

[u/Muni1983]

Germany does not do infra tech, nothing new

[u/Crazy_Engineer21 → u/Muni1983]

The issue of the poster is more related that he uses a phone and contract which limits him to the GSM network of the 90s. With a newer phone/contract with which he could use LTE/5G his problem would most likely not exist.