Report on using Orange Mobicarte in France

[scirocco]

I have read somewhere that the 500MB is not rigidly enforced, but I can't provide a link. 500 MB is quite a lot even if you are tethering a couple of laptops. There is also plenty of wi-fi in Paris, even in the public parks, so no need to use 3G data all the time.

For anyone using Gmail, provided you only use browser access, there's no need to pay for the 6 euro Mail option. But don't be tempted to use a proper mail client to access mail via POP or IMAP or you will quickly chew through the credit on the SIM.

[f13dfx]

Unfortunately, I'm in woody1's situation. I tried to buy a prepaid microsim for my iphone4 from eBay only to have it get lost in the mail.

So is there any other option for a decent voice/data plan for an iphone4 for a limited 5-day stay in Paris? Wanted to access Google Maps & Metro apps on my iphone4.

[104001]

Originally Posted by f13dfx

Unfortunately, I'm in woody1's situation. I tried to buy a prepaid microsim for my iphone4 from eBay only to have it get lost in the mail.

So is there any other option for a decent voice/data plan for an iphone4 for a limited 5-day stay in Paris? Wanted to access Google Maps & Metro apps on my iphone4.

For maps in Paris, take a look at the 'Smart Maps - Paris' app. I have used it before and found it quite helpful. It works offline so you don't need data on demand to load new maps. And I believe it includes a good selection of metro maps.

Sorry I can't answer to your other question.

[woody1]

I'm not sure if this will work, but you could buy the Orange Mobicarte and try using the day-by-day internet option instead of the Internet Max option. I'm not sure if the other options require the same 48 hour waiting period. Seems to me that I used the day-by-day option a couple of years ago and I don't think I had to wait.

If you do use the day-by-day option, you will need to carefully enter the code to purchase each day. It's much less convenient than the Internet Max option, but it might work in your situation.

[104001]

So, I have received my mobicarte from the ebay seller. It appears to be working, but I can't seem to register online. I have entered the phone number however I am not receiving the text with the password. Any ideas what I might be doing wrong?

I did test the number by sending a text from another phone, and it is correct.

[scirocco]

I'm not sure what's wrong, but I have the following suggestions:

1. Check on the handwritten information the ebay seller has sent you. There was some sort of password on that but it was probably the SIM card password not the Orange account.

2. When you enter the phone number on the Orange portal, it needs to be in the form 06 xx xx xx xx (your number but without the spaces, I just put them for clarity). Don't put country codes or anything.

3. Did you definitely enter the phone number in the first time users section? Don't enter it in the "déjÃ* utilisateur" section (existing user), instead look for where it says: "Si vous ne vous êtes jamais identifié sur orange.fr, recevez votre mot de passe par SMS." (If you have never previously been identified on orange.fr, receive your password by SMS). If you are successful, you should see the message "Votre mot de passe a été envoyé sur votre mobile Orange" (your password has been sent to your Orange mobile).

4. Try another local carrier in your home country. Maybe whatever carrier you are on does not allow international SMSs.

5. Maybe wait a little longer with the phone turned on. It may take some time for the information from your home country carrier that the phone is actually in your country to get back to France, so that the Orange network knows where to send the SMS. (make ultra sure you don't have data turned on on the phone while you do this as a smartphone will chew the phone credit at half a euro per minute.)

[104001]

Thanks for taking the time to answer!

I've done what you said, and double checked everything. I have tried both of the networks available to me at the moment, but I'm inclined to believe they might be blocking the texts.

I'll just work with the #123# menu for now. Besides the minor glitch with the online registration everything seems to work smoothly.

[104001]

Update! I finally, after entering the phone number..30 or so times over the last 24 hours...got the password by SMS. Nothing changed in that time, so I'm not sure what the issue was. Anyhow, for general knowledge here, it may take a while for the password to be sent. Just keep trying.

[scirocco]

Good news. Come to think of it, I didn't receive the password straight away either, because I was messing round in the #123 menu for a couple of days before I tried the Orange Portal. So maybe the #123 menu triggers something off, or maybe it just takes a while after first switching the phone on with the SIM card in before it can be reached by text message.

[woody1]

It took me a day or so before I could get my SMS code. I think there's an intentional delay after you register before they will let you have a web account.