Can I file my taxes with ELSTER from the Frankfurt desktop?
Yes. ELSTER works in any modern browser on your desktop, and you can store your ELSTER certificate file there to log in, or use the online ID function with the AusweisApp on your phone. Keeping the certificate on a dedicated, password-protected desktop is safer than leaving it on a shared home computer, and the German IP adds consistency. Many Germans abroad and their tax advisers use the desktop to prepare and submit tax returns, check notices and respond to queries from the tax office without connection issues.
Which German banks work from the desktop?
Online banking from Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, Postbank, ING, DKB, Comdirect and N26 works in a browser on the Frankfurt desktop. Transactions are usually confirmed with pushTAN, photoTAN or an app on your phone, so security is not affected by using a remote desktop. The German IP helps reduce security prompts for customers who live or travel abroad. Some banks offer desktop banking software, such as StarMoney, which can also be installed on the desktop for convenient account management.
Is Frankfurt good for European latency?
It is one of the best locations in Europe. Thanks to DE-CIX and the many networks that interconnect there, traffic from most European countries reaches Frankfurt via short, direct routes. Users in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Benelux countries and Poland experience very low latency, and those in the UK, France and Scandinavia still enjoy excellent responsiveness. That makes Frankfurt ideal for teams spread across Europe who want a single shared desktop. Even transatlantic users find Frankfurt practical, because major cables from North America land in Western Europe and reach the city over well-provisioned backbone links. For customers in Turkey, the Gulf and North Africa, Frankfurt is often the closest major hub with comprehensive peering.
Does unlimited bandwidth mean there are no restrictions?
Bandwidth is unlimited in the sense that we never count or cap your traffic, and there are no overage charges. You can upload, download and sync as much as your work requires. Our acceptable use terms still apply, prohibiting activities like spam, network attacks and illegal content. For normal personal and business use, including large backups, software builds and media transfers, unlimited bandwidth means you will never be slowed down or charged extra. Frankfurt's dense interconnection also means that heavy transfers rarely encounter congestion; downloads from Microsoft, Adobe or GitHub typically arrive at full speed. Teams that sync large shared folders every night find this especially useful.
Can my GmbH use the desktop for DATEV or Lexware?
Yes. Many German small businesses use the desktop to run Lexware, WISO or sevDesk and to access DATEV Unternehmen online with their tax adviser. Store invoices and documents on the desktop, give employees and the adviser their own accounts, and control access centrally. Because the desktop is in Germany, data residency requirements are met. For several simultaneous users, choose a plan with more cores and memory and Windows Server, and check Remote Desktop licensing requirements. Your tax adviser can also connect directly to submit filings or post entries, saving the time and cost of shipping folders of receipts back and forth each month.
How quickly will my Frankfurt desktop be ready?
Most Frankfurt desktops are ready within a few hours of payment confirmation, and the maximum is twelve hours. During that time, the system creates your virtual machine, installs your chosen Windows edition and assigns the German IP. You then receive an email with login details. If you need the desktop urgently, for example before a tax deadline, add a note to your order and our team will prioritise it. After you receive the email, connect using Remote Desktop on Windows or Microsoft's Windows App on Mac and mobile, change the initial password, and install your programs. Our team is available if you need help with the first connection or with configuring printers and drives.
Can I switch the desktop interface to German?
Yes. Install the German language pack in Windows settings and choose German as the display language. Add the German QWERTZ keyboard for umlauts and the ß character. Each user on a Windows Server desktop can choose their own language, which is useful for international teams. Regional settings can display dates, euro amounts and decimal separators in German format, which is important for invoices and accounting. Spelling and grammar checks in Word work for German once the proofing pack is installed, and Excel uses the semicolon separator and comma decimal that German spreadsheets expect. Turkish, Polish, Russian and Arabic keyboards can be added alongside for multilingual staff, and each user can switch layouts with a quick shortcut.
Is my data safe on a German desktop?
The desktop is hosted in a professional Frankfurt data centre with physical security, redundant power and network connections. Your virtual machine is isolated from others on enterprise virtualisation. Data protection is governed by GDPR and German law. You control the Administrator account, so set a strong password, keep Windows updated, enable Windows Defender and limit user access. For businesses, a data processing agreement is available on request. Regular backups to a separate location are wise in addition to these measures, so that an accidental deletion or a reinstall never costs you important files. With these habits in place, a Frankfurt desktop is typically better protected than a typical office PC.
