CUCC Expedition Handbook

Mobile Phone Use Guide

Base camp: 00 43 664 763 0255

Top camp:  00 43 664 582 5229

After many years of using complicated radio systems of varying degrees of complication and reliability, we have finally settled on a foolproof method for communicating callouts from top camp to base camp: mobile phones. Cheap Austrian pay-as-you-go mobiles have sufficiently good reception on the plateau for sending SMS messages, and even occasionally for conversation.

We are using the "B-Free" mobile scheme. (In 2011 we tried using another provider which picked up the T-Mobile network, however the reception was not as good as B-Free.  B-Free has an annual renewal of the SIM which gets you the phone number and connection (plus some credit). More credit comes in the form of a receipt with a printed code or a card with a scratch-off secret number.

Annual renewal

This has to be done in less than 13 months otherwise it costs a more as you essentially have to start from scratch (~EUR10 for a new SIM with EUR5 of credit). The phone cannot be used in the last month, but renewal is cheaper than starting from scratch.

Checking credit

The simplest way (which doesn't require understanding a number read out to you in German) is to dial *101#. This doesn't actually make a call but results in you getting an SMS-like message containing the balance details. There's no charge for this.

Adding credit

If you need to buy more credits for a phone the simplest way is to just ask for a "B.Free" top-up at the supermarket checkout (Unimarkt definitely did them in 2016). They'll give you a printed receipt with the code to key in. See below for how to use it.

(Other options we've used were:

• go to the Hartlauer shop (on right of road to railway station, not far beyond the post office). Wave the phone and ask for a 'B-free Bon'.
• go to post office and ask for B.Free 10 euros for each phone.

You should be given a aufladecode, which may require scratching off a panel at lower right back of card.)

• Dial 0800 664290 (if you're lucky someone might have put this in the phone address book possible under the name "Check balance")
• Listen to an audio menu and Press 2 (to select something)
• Then type in number on the scratch panel, followed by #
• Listen to the number read back to you, and press 2 to confirm code is correct.
• Press No twice to end the call.

Tips and Tricks

• If you're in an area where reception is poor and you need to go to a particular spot to check messages, try dialling the balance request number (*101#) once there - this usually seems to trigger delivery of any pending SMS messages.