Phone/3G cards for France.

[Slow_boat]

We've just started long term cruising, intending to spend this year in Brittany. Any advice on which phone cards and computer dongle thingies are best?

 

[LadyInBed]

See Free data roaming with 3 thread

 

[Cloven]

I use an Orange domino MiFi. Buy it " sans engagement " ie without contract. Can connect up to 5 devices at the same time. Unit costs about 30euro and then PAYG at 20euro for a month & can top on on line, by phone or by buying credit receipt over the counter at any Orange or other phone shop and indeed some tobacconists and supermarkets. In fact this message is coming to you courtesy of the device in question.

 

[Koeketiene]

We've just started long term cruising, intending to spend this year in Brittany. Any advice on which phone cards and computer dongle thingies are best?

If you're going to be in France for a year, you could do a lot worse than Free.

We've got a mobile contract with them (SIM only) which can be cancelled every month.
It includes:
- free/unlimited calls within metropolitan France - both mobiles and landlines
- free/unlimited calls to most of Europe and the US - landlines only
- 3GB/month data
- €19.99 per month

 

[Forty_Two]

Note that the 3 Feel at home deal will be cancelled if you use it for more than 2 full months away from the UK in a year. All hidden away in their t&c's

 

[DaveRo]

Any advice on which ... computer dongle thingies are best?

So what computer or tablet or phone thingies do you want in connect? Dongles are unfashionable these days ;-)

Will you be continuously in Fance for a year? If so you can consider a contract which might be cheaper and less hassle. Prepaid credit tends to expire in France. Do you speak some French? I had a Mobicarte and the help desks only spoke French.

French operators: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/france.php

 

[Cloven]

So what computer or tablet or phone thingies do you want in connect? Dongles are unfashionable these days ;-)

Will you be continuously in Fance for a year? If so you can consider a contract which might be cheaper and less hassle. Prepaid credit tends to expire in France. Do you speak some French? I had a Mobicarte and the help desks only spoke French.

French operators: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/france.php

Good link above for comparisons.

FWIW, adding to post #3 above, I use the Orange MiFi for internet connection so I can have both laptop & ipad at the same time if needed. For phone, I use the B&You Simyo PAYG Sim in an unlocked phone. Big advantage is that it is not time limited, all you need to do is at least one top up a year & that can be for a little as €10. Recharging on line takes seconds. Very reasonable for phone/text use.

 

[bendyone]

B&You Simyo PAYG Sim, I use the same but the new ones ar time limited. Mine came from B&You before it changed to Simyo so is not time limited. Data 5 cents a MB. Top up on line even from the UK.
I had a orange sim but could not top up with a UK CC.