Mobile Phone Guide

The evolution of the mobile phone in Denmark is in full force. Danes are abandoning their landline phones in favour of smart phones and similiar devices. Don't worry it is not the one pictured above. 

Internet access is very widespread and nearly all Danes have either a mobile device and/or internet access at home. And the competition for your mobile phone business is fierce.

There are many companies in Denmark that offer telephone, mobile, TV, cable tv and high speed internet services at fairly reasonable prices and assorted packages.

You are usually best off buying a package deal from a single company, since it will save you money and you will get a single bill. Getting 4 or 5 bills for various services can be tedious and hard to manage at times.

If you have a mobile phone with internet capabilities, you must get a media licence at www.dr.dk. You can also register for the media licence on the website or call 70 20 13 13.

If you already have a TV licence, than your phone is covered under that licence. You can read more about licences at the TV in Denmark page.

Mobile Phone Subscriptions

First in order to get a mobile phone subscription you will need to have a CPR Number and a local bank account. Subscriptions are a min of 6 months and sometimes a year depending on the package.

The exception to this rules is that you can get a prepaid mobile phone plan without having a CPR number. This is a popular option for many new expats that have not gotten their CPR number and need the use of a phone.

When you sign up, you are given a contract which few people read, because it is so long and complicated. Do yourself a favor, once you get home, take the time to review it carefully and learn everything you can about it. Legally, you have 14 days from signing of the contract to cancel. There may be fees attached if you use the product or service during that period.

You will also need a bank account when getting a subscription, since the service provider will want you to sign up for automatic payments via PBS, which is a payment service. If you do not sign up with PBS, you will be charged a higher fee. Many companies will not give you a contract if you do not use PBS.

There are also pay as go programs, so you only pay for the calls you make or texts you send. For some people this is a much better option if you are not planning to use your phone alot.

You can also get a SIM card and prepaid calling card at most kiosks, post offices and phone stores, so that there is no subscription costs, but you will be paying a higher per use fee. Some companies will also allow you to top off your card online.

Of course, your main question is who is the cheapest or who is the best? Unfortunately, that is nearly impossible to answer, since there are at least a dozen major companies to compare.

Also your needs will differ from those of others. You may do a lot of texting or maybe need lots of bandwidth for downloads, or more for internet access, or need at least 12 hours of talk time per month or need special international calling rates.

So to find the best deal, you must know your needs and than compare companies, before you sign up. If you cannot find information in English contact the companies and ask what deals they offer in relation to your usage.

Remember to check out packages that include family and friend discounts. If everyone in your family uses the same service, you get good price breaks and the same with calling friends on the same service. For example: It is cheaper to call someone on Telenor if you use Telenor too.

When you sign up for a subscription, make sure you know what you minimum costs will be for the duration of the subscription period. Often you see 1 kr deals including a new phone and you think GREAT! A NEW PHONE for 1 kr, but if you check the fine print it will have a min. costs for the 6 month contract of maybe 5,690 kr., which includes the phone costs, min phone usage. If you are not planning on using your phone that much, you may be overpaying. Danish companies are legally obligated to tell you those figures in all advertising and before signing the contract.

Also check the phone calling rates, texting charges, international calling rates, etc.. When you get the final contract, read it over carefully and also check your first bill to make sure you are only paying for what you asked for. They like to sneak in little extras!

You can learn more about the regulations for phone providers in Denmark at ITST

The top three telephone companies in a 2010 survey were Bibob, M1 and Telmore rated for their customer service and rates. No new survey has been issued, but they are still good companies in 2015.

Also mentioned were CBB, CallMe, Lebara and TDC.

Rated at the bottom were Telenor, 3 Mobile and Telia.

Again, everyone has an opinion and you should compare and find out what works for you.

A recent 2015 survey at www.trustpilot.dk showed that the must trusted and liked phone companies are the new companies like BiBoB, M1, CBB, Telmore and OnFone, where as older companies like TDC, Telia and 3 all fell short on customer satisfaction. You can read more at it at trustpilot.dk.

Can you use your foreign mobile phone in Denmark?

The answer is YES, if your mobile phone is compatible with GSM standard and is not SIM-locked.

You can also use your original SIM card in your phone if your phone provider has a roaming feature, but this can be expensive. Knew one girl who used her own phone when she got to Denmark for 3 weeks and got a very high phone bill, which nearly put her in shock. It was not fun for her!

Mobile Phone Companies

Below is the list of all the phone companies in Denmark as of 2018.   The ones with an asterisk next to them are the major players and you would be best to choice one of them.   Below this block is a comparison chart that you can use to compare popular mobile phone subscriptions. If you are new to the market, I suggest you choose one of those listed, since they are the ones mostly used and you can feel assured that they are trusted and good. After being in Denmark awhile you may wish to switch to another company, once you learn what your specific needs are for the area you live and work in.

The cheapest subscriptions in 2018 are 3 Mobil, CBB, Duka Tale, Ok Mobile and Oister, but that is bit iffy since the rates seem to change quite often, so do your research. Price is not everything. Check coverage, cancellation, talk time, SMS and download limits.  Below is a list of comparison prices updated daily so you can compare and see what you may want. Remember to check binding periods and min. purchase.

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