Data in France [merged] - Page 2

ticex · 07-03-2008, 03:41

I've been living part of the time in France over the past 7 months and the solution I've ended up using is o2 with the MyEuropeExtra add-on combined with returncall.co.uk for voice calls and a prepaid 3 (UK) sim for occasional data usage. The data on 3 (UK) costs £3 per MB roaming in France and for simple email or occasional light web browsing I've found it far more convenient and better value than any of the French prepaid offers with their extremely restrictive topup voucher expiry. I've ended up losing all my credit due to missing the topup deadline so many times I just got sick of them and the rip-off charges. Ironically several of my French friends have started using this same solution as it's cheaper for them than using French sims

!

On thing I've recently discovered is the supermarket chain "E Leclerc" has launched an MVNO that as far as I know has a voucher expiry of 1 year. Sadly data rates are ridiculous, something like €15/MB, so it's only good for the occasional visitor wanting a French mobile that doesn't die every few months.

inquisitor · 13-01-2009, 14:13

When I went to France last summer I accessed the web with an Orange Mobicarte (prepaid SIM sold for < € 10 at eBay.fr). After activating the tariff option "Internet Max" (€ 9/month) you officially get a data volume of 500MB for the web + 10 MB for eMail (SMTP, POP3, IMAP), both for handset-based use only. But actually, as I expected due to reports on German forums, access was neither limited to handset-usage, nor did the cap of 500MB apply. Only the 10MB-limit for eMail seemed to be enforced. Even HSDPA and EDGE were available and provided decent data rates. So that's an interesting offer if you don't generate much traffic.
More info at France - Orange - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access

Stu · **France and Data -** 12-05-2009, 02:58

My best friend is returning for his annual month in France and is looking (again) for a decent prepaid wireless data option. Last year, he used Orange France and his experience was so far beyond disappointing that I can't begin to tell. Any other options out there?

maccoy · 12-05-2009, 08:28

There's a prepaid SFR offer costing 26 euros for 8 hours of internet use.
It's cheaper that the Orange one.

wisniak · 12-05-2009, 11:19

Hi maccoy,

Where can the SFR SIM cards be purchased? eg in the airport?

I'll be in France next month and I need a SIM which supports GPRS (DATA) for browsing, emails, etc.

And another question, is free WIFI widely available in France?

Thanks.

maccoy · 12-05-2009, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisniak

Where can the SFR SIM cards be purchased? eg in the airport?

Usually there are no mobile operators shops in the airports.
You can buy a sim card for data in any phone shop exposing the operator logo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisniak

And another question, is free WIFI widely available in France?

WIFI is widely available but it isn't always free.
It is usually free in the libraries (within a limited connection time), Mcdonalds and Starbucks shops.
Elsewhere (bars) you may have to ask the waiters for acces codes.

Bossman · 12-05-2009, 13:32

Not a France sim, but tmobile UK has a OK data rate in all of EU. I think it's about 1.5 pound/MB or so. Thought I'd menton in case you can't find anything cheaper.

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/g...ountry/france/

Edit: Added link and changed UK to EU.

VladS · 12-05-2009, 14:19

Best deal for WiFi use in France and Europe is Boingo Global. US$59/month gets you 2000 minutes of use at a whole bunch of WiFi networks.

wisniak · **Thank you all for your help -** 12-05-2009, 17:38

I'll be in France for 1 week only, and I plan to use my PDA mostly for browsing/emails, so I need to find the cheapest deal around.

On the other hand, if there's the possibility of paying a couple extra Euro and having a large amount of MB, it might be a good deal for me.

I visit the UK quite often, and the data costs there are pressty expensive.
On the other end of the scale, I visited Thailand last month, and could do heavy browsing for 2-3 days on a $8 refill...

wisniak · **Another question, please -** 13-05-2009, 10:29

I've been in contact with leclercmobile.fr, and they say their SIM card supports browsing via WAP.
"The offer E.LECLERCMOBILE allows you to connect in sites wap but not directly in web sites."

But I need HTML browsing, and I can't seen to find a SIM card that does this.
And the browsing would be done over GPRS (in case ob absence of WIFI).

My French is rather dusty, so I might be misunderstanding the descriptions.

I'd appreciate any clarifications on this.

Thanks.

	(#1)
ticex (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 67 Join Date: 05 Jan 2006 Location: Edinburgh & Brussels Country:	07-03-2008, 03:41 I've been living part of the time in France over the past 7 months and the solution I've ended up using is o2 with the MyEuropeExtra add-on combined with returncall.co.uk for voice calls and a prepaid 3 (UK) sim for occasional data usage. The data on 3 (UK) costs £3 per MB roaming in France and for simple email or occasional light web browsing I've found it far more convenient and better value than any of the French prepaid offers with their extremely restrictive topup voucher expiry. I've ended up losing all my credit due to missing the topup deadline so many times I just got sick of them and the rip-off charges. Ironically several of my French friends have started using this same solution as it's cheaper for them than using French sims ! On thing I've recently discovered is the supermarket chain "E Leclerc" has launched an MVNO that as far as I know has a voucher expiry of 1 year. Sadly data rates are ridiculous, something like €15/MB, so it's only good for the occasional visitor wanting a French mobile that doesn't die every few months.

	(#2)
inquisitor (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,399 Join Date: 15 Nov 2006 Country:	13-01-2009, 14:13 When I went to France last summer I accessed the web with an Orange Mobicarte (prepaid SIM sold for < € 10 at eBay.fr). After activating the tariff option "Internet Max" (€ 9/month) you officially get a data volume of 500MB for the web + 10 MB for eMail (SMTP, POP3, IMAP), both for handset-based use only. But actually, as I expected due to reports on German forums, access was neither limited to handset-usage, nor did the cap of 500MB apply. Only the 10MB-limit for eMail seemed to be enforced. Even HSDPA and EDGE were available and provided decent data rates. So that's an interesting offer if you don't generate much traffic. More info at France - Orange - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access terminals: Samsung: Galaxy S5 DuoS (G900FD); BLU: Win HD LTE; Nokia: 1200; Asus: Fonepad 7 ME372CG; Huawei data: E3372, Vodafone R201, K3765, E1762; postpaid: O2 on Business XL; prepaid: DE: Aldi Talk, Lidl; UK: 3; BG: MTel, vivacom; RU: MTS; RS: MTS; UAE: du Tourist SIM; INT'L: toggle mobile VoIP: sipgate.de (German DID); sipgate.co.uk (British DID); ukddi.com (British DID); sipcall.ch (Swiss DID); megafon.bg (Bulgarian DID); InterVoip.com

	(#3)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	France and Data - 12-05-2009, 02:58 My best friend is returning for his annual month in France and is looking (again) for a decent prepaid wireless data option. Last year, he used Orange France and his experience was so far beyond disappointing that I can't begin to tell. Any other options out there?

	(#4)
maccoy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 194 Join Date: 23 May 2004 Location: Paris Country:	12-05-2009, 08:28 There's a prepaid SFR offer costing 26 euros for 8 hours of internet use. It's cheaper that the Orange one. Prepaid I: Vodafone, Wind, 3; F: Bouygues Telecom; M: Melita; INT: Travelsim, Zeromobile.

	(#5)
wisniak (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 92 Join Date: 12 May 2009 Country:	12-05-2009, 11:19 Hi maccoy, Where can the SFR SIM cards be purchased? eg in the airport? I'll be in France next month and I need a SIM which supports GPRS (DATA) for browsing, emails, etc. And another question, is free WIFI widely available in France? Thanks.

	(#7)
Bossman (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,257 Join Date: 22 Apr 2005 Location: Chicago Country:	12-05-2009, 13:32 Not a France sim, but tmobile UK has a OK data rate in all of EU. I think it's about 1.5 pound/MB or so. Thought I'd menton in case you can't find anything cheaper. http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/services/g...ountry/france/ Edit: Added link and changed UK to EU. Phones: Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, Samsung Galaxy A50, ASUS zenfone 3, Sim cards: AT&T (Contract), 3 UK, Piranha Mobile

	(#8)
VladS (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 590 Join Date: 22 Jun 2004 Country:	12-05-2009, 14:19 Best deal for WiFi use in France and Europe is Boingo Global. US$59/month gets you 2000 minutes of use at a whole bunch of WiFi networks. VladS Mobile phones: iPhone 5, Blackberry 9900, Nexus S, Samsung S3322 duos Mobile data cards: Huawei E587u-5, Huawei E583c, Huawei E160 Postpaid SIMs: CA: Fido, Wind; INTL: Telna Prepaid SIMs: DE: Fonic, Lidl; AT: yesss!, bob; UK: O2; US: AT&T; RO: Orange, Vodafone; FR: b&you, Lycamobile; NL: Lycamobile; BE: Lycamobile, Jim Mobile; CL: Entel; MX: Telcel; INTL: eKit Blue, eKit Yellow Dead SIMs: too many to list

	(#9)
wisniak (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 92 Join Date: 12 May 2009 Country:	Thank you all for your help - 12-05-2009, 17:38 I'll be in France for 1 week only, and I plan to use my PDA mostly for browsing/emails, so I need to find the cheapest deal around. On the other hand, if there's the possibility of paying a couple extra Euro and having a large amount of MB, it might be a good deal for me. I visit the UK quite often, and the data costs there are pressty expensive. On the other end of the scale, I visited Thailand last month, and could do heavy browsing for 2-3 days on a $8 refill...

	(#10)
wisniak (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 92 Join Date: 12 May 2009 Country:	Another question, please - 13-05-2009, 10:29 I've been in contact with leclercmobile.fr, and they say their SIM card supports browsing via WAP. "The offer E.LECLERCMOBILE allows you to connect in sites wap but not directly in web sites." But I need HTML browsing, and I can't seen to find a SIM card that does this. And the browsing would be done over GPRS (in case ob absence of WIFI). My French is rather dusty, so I might be misunderstanding the descriptions. I'd appreciate any clarifications on this. Thanks.