France - mobile comms, email, internet . . .

[Grehan]

So, we return to France full-time en bateau in June after two years on dry land. Hurrah!
Of course, we're now out of touch with that necessity - internet/email connections. We both use both internet and email quite intensively - a lot of more or less full-time usage.
Before, we each had a 3G dongle contract (i.e not PAYG) with SFR and could also access their network of WiFi hotspots. It worked pretty well, with some dead areas here and there.
But I guess things may have moved on . . . what's the current French 'best deal' for 'best mobile online coverage'?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'll be in Auxonne in a couple of weeks, checking the boat over, so I could investigate any leads.

 

[Koeketiene]

France - mobile comms, email, internet . . .

Quite happy with Free (http://mobile.free.fr/)

 

[Roberto]

So, we return to France full-time en bateau in June after two years on dry land. Hurrah!
Of course, we're now out of touch with that necessity - internet/email connections. We both use both internet and email quite intensively - a lot of more or less full-time usage.
Before, we each had a 3G dongle contract (i.e not PAYG) with SFR and could also access their network of WiFi hotspots. It worked pretty well, with some dead areas here and there.
But I guess things may have moved on . . . what's the current French 'best deal' for 'best mobile online coverage'?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'll be in Auxonne in a couple of weeks, checking the boat over, so I could investigate any leads.

+1 check out Free
I use very little mobile internet and have their 2 euro/month deal (actually I have their Freebox fixed at home so the telephone is free indeed as they give 2 euro discount), it includes 50mb data which is enough for me.
They have another deal/forfait at IIRC 16-17 euro month, basically unlimited and soon with 4G. They use Orange network.

If it's just for a tablet or 3G dongle, then have a look at Prixtel, it adapts the price to your consumption (though if you are a very heavy user it may bot ne enough ?)

http://www.prixtel.com/#!/particulier/forfait-tablette

 

[Wino]

Another one for 'FREE' - excellent.

 

[RAI]

My impression is that the tariffs change so often that it worth shopping around when you get there.

 

[vyv_cox]

Just before Xmas we arrived in France for a month in the motorhome. Armed with the latest info we could find about buying data SIMs we went to the SFR shop in the Calais hypermarket, to be told that it is now not possible to buy one. It was difficult to understand the reason.

We then went next door to the Orange shop and had exactly what we wanted in ten minutes.

 

[jimbaerselman]

I've switched to "3" as a UK supplier. Good 4g and 3g cover, and good rates. But most important, no roaming charges for France, Switzerland, Austria and Italy (with Spain coming in as well).

So my MiFi now covers a lot of the West Med as if it's one country . . .

 

[Grehan]

Thanks for all the contributions.

Jim - are you saying that, with 3, there is no point in taking on a French contract? That 3 effectively treats France as part of the UK? Same rates/speeds/limits/etc. ? Presumably their coverage depends on their French partner, d'you know who that is?
Very interesting, if so.

 

[Tradewinds]

Thanks for all the contributions.

Jim - are you saying that, with 3, there is no point in taking on a French contract? That 3 effectively treats France as part of the UK? Same rates/speeds/limits/etc. ? Presumably their coverage depends on their French partner, d'you know who that is?
Very interesting, if so.

I always thought it was restricted - i.e. meant for holidays.

3 Web page here - scroll to bottom.
http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Feel_At_Home

See X "It's designed for UK residents who are on holiday or business trips abroad, not for extended periods abroad."

I seem to remember it was 60 days at a stretch last year (or was it 90?)

 

[Grehan]

Yup. As you say.
I've just contacted 3 and been strongly dissuaded from thinking about their Feel At Home roaming service. They say definitely not for longer-term use abroad.

" . . . Feel At Home is intended for our UK customers who are visiting one of the destinations for short trips, like holidays or business trips. If you only use your plan in a Feel At Home destination for a complete month, and this happens three times within a year, we may have to suspend international roaming on your account, which would mean you wouldn’t be able to use your phone or device abroad any more. . . . "

Been told to contact a French network.

 

[bendyone]

I use

http://www.simyo.fr/telephonie-mobile/home.html

as a PAYG sim, got it when the credit did not run out but now I think is 3 months then you loose it.

 

[mikenfi]

Three UK Sim pay as you go £15 per month. Unlimited internet
Unlimited texts
300 minutes to uk numbers.

Great deal. We use this all over france as it is a feel at home destination. We have a french labara sim for calling french numbers. We us a maximum of €5 per month on the french number.

For more info on feel at home destinations

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Feel_At_Home

Includes australia, america and loads of others.

Spain and new zealand are being added in april.

Less than £20 per month for all you need.

 

[Grehan]

Just to finish the story - have bought an SFR Trotter, which is a cordless (rechargeable battery) mobile 3G broadband/WiFi/MiFi device.
http://www.sfr.fr/cle3g-tablettes/#sfrintid=B_mob_hp-bout_cle
http://www.4gltemall.com/huawei-e5251-3g-mobile-wifi-router.html (Australian website, info in English)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MiFi
Plus a 12Gb/month SFR service for it.

The purchase, set up and first test use went surprisingly smoothly, but we do have the advantage of a French address and bank account.

 

[Sea Devil]

So, we return to France full-time en bateau in June after two years on dry land. Hurrah!
Of course, we're now out of touch with that necessity - internet/email connections. We both use both internet and email quite intensively - a lot of more or less full-time usage.
Before, we each had a 3G dongle contract (i.e not PAYG) with SFR and could also access their network of WiFi hotspots. It worked pretty well, with some dead areas here and there.
But I guess things may have moved on . . . what's the current French 'best deal' for 'best mobile online coverage'?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'll be in Auxonne in a couple of weeks, checking the boat over, so I could investigate any leads.

France Telecom have a dongle designed for occasional regular visitors... I think I paid around 20€ for it last year and you top it up from the internet. I have had mine for around 18 months and it works well on each visit. They designed the package for visitor - I think I pay around 10€ a week but that money stays in the account for 6 months if you don't use it (you are not in France) After that you have to start from scratch... It works well for me but not well enough to stream movies..

Michael