A new name is attracting attention in Germany's telecom market, and the entrepreneur behind it is already well known in the country's technology industry.
Lars Hinrichs, the founder of the business network that became XING, is behind Simsalasim, a new telecommunications venture preparing to enter the mobile market with an eSIM focused model.
According to German telecom publication teltarif.de, Simsalasim is expected to operate entirely through eSIM technology, eliminating the need to manufacture and distribute traditional plastic SIM cards.
The most eye catching part is the reported price.
German media reports suggest Simsalasim could offer mobile internet across around 100 countries for approximately €10 per month. Some versions of the planned service could also include calls and SMS.
If those conditions reach consumers as reported, the offer could put significant pricing pressure on established telecom operators.
There are already signs that Simsalasim is much more than an early concept.
Germany's Federal Network Agency lists Simsalasim Germany GmbH among telecommunications companies that have received numbering resources. The regulator has also assigned the company an international mobile network identifier.
Teltarif.de reports that Simsalasim has received the German mobile prefix 015333.
Hinrichs also has extensive experience inside Germany's telecommunications industry. Deutsche Telekom's own corporate records show that he served on the company's supervisory board from October 2013 until April 2025. The same records list him as a board member of Simsalasim Inc. from December 2024.
Simsalasim describes its ambition as building a global telecommunications company centered around eSIM technology.
However, important questions remain unanswered, including possible data limits, network speeds, roaming conditions and precisely which countries will be included in the final commercial offer.
Those details will ultimately determine whether the reported €10 proposition can genuinely compete with conventional mobile plans.
Interest is already building. Searches for "XING" surged in Germany on Sunday as reports about Hinrichs and his new telecom venture spread, pushing the term into Google's active search trends.
For Germany's established telecom companies, Simsalasim may still be a relatively small newcomer.
But if Hinrichs can deliver anything close to the pricing and international coverage currently being reported, it could become a competitor worth watching very closely.
