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Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: TheBoy on 10 April 2014, 18:58:44

Title: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 10 April 2014, 18:58:44
A quickie for our French members, or for those who visit regularly...

Does anyone do a PAYG or single payment short term contract SIM that I can shove in my Mifi unit when I go over there in June?
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: tunnie on 10 April 2014, 19:03:10
France you will have issues, last time I dealt with SIMs there you had to quote an address when buying one for contract. You also need a French bank account....

PAYG was a pig too, it was one of our reasons for switching to Device Anywhere, who had local devices ready to use via a web GUI.

Orange is best bet, Bouygues were a nightmare.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 10 April 2014, 19:06:51
France you will have issues, last time I dealt with SIMs there you had to quote an address when buying one for contract. You also need a French bank account....

PAYG was a pig too, it was one of our reasons for switching to Device Anywhere, who had local devices ready to use via a web GUI.

Orange is best bet, Bouygues were a nightmare.

Surely there must be payg, id have thought similar, to say Heathrow.....go there and there are machines selling payg sims for every network just about.....must be same at french airports?  :-\
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: tunnie on 10 April 2014, 19:10:05
France you will have issues, last time I dealt with SIMs there you had to quote an address when buying one for contract. You also need a French bank account....

PAYG was a pig too, it was one of our reasons for switching to Device Anywhere, who had local devices ready to use via a web GUI.

Orange is best bet, Bouygues were a nightmare.

Surely there must be payg, id have thought similar, to say Heathrow.....go there and there are machines selling payg sims for every network just about.....must be same at french airports?  :-\

There is PAYG, but I remember topping up was 'fun'

That said I was in London, not France attempting to do the top up. Might be easier in France, in a store  ::)

Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: zirk on 10 April 2014, 19:12:54
If you want it for Data only then a  Lebara French Sim is probably your best bet, get one of the Bay preloaded or ready to go with a Top Up.

They do deals like top up 15 Euros and get 1gb+ Data for a month etc.

Alternatively, look on the  Lebara website and see how much there UK Sim will be whilst roaming in France. 
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 10 April 2014, 19:21:48
If you want it for Data only then a  Lebara French Sim is probably your best bet, get one of the Bay preloaded or ready to go with a Top Up.

They do deals like top up 15 Euros and get 1gb+ Data for a month etc.

Alternatively, look on the  Lebara website and see how much there UK Sim will be whilst roaming in France.
I'll take a look, ta. But I won't be buying any SIM with preloaded credit from egay if I can help it, as egay has been ruined by idiots.

€15 for 1gb for 30 days is better than perfect :y.  When we go to Cyprus, we get a Cyta/Voda "Holiday SIM" which gives 500Mb for 7days for €15.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: zirk on 10 April 2014, 19:30:55
Here you go, cheaper than I thought, agreed, just get the Sim beforehand then top up online or when you cross the border.

8 Euros is 1gb, 10 Euros is 3gb (30 days)

http://www.lebara.fr/boutique/offre#offer_data_plans

Also try Lebera.com you may be able to get a Sim sent direct to your UK address.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 10 April 2014, 20:00:28
Trying to work out the T&Cs, does it allow use in a dongle/Mifi?
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Gaffers on 10 April 2014, 20:06:01
France you will have issues, last time I dealt with SIMs there you had to quote an address when buying one for contract. You also need a French bank account....

PAYG was a pig too, it was one of our reasons for switching to Device Anywhere, who had local devices ready to use via a web GUI.

Orange is best bet, Bouygues were a nightmare.

Not necessarily.  I know for a fact that SFR accept Swift and IBAN codes :y

As to which is best I dont know....yet.  But I will ask the guys at work their opinion.  Being mostly network guys I am sure they will know.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: zirk on 10 April 2014, 20:18:27
Trying to work out the T&Cs, does it allow use in a dongle/Mifi?

No idea tbh, most Networks will let you use tethering from day one, even if the T&C's says not allowed and normally only start to get the hump if your start damaging there Data Performance Monitoring through heavy Data use.

Using a Dongle could in theory get picked up relatively quickly as its not a Mobile Phone IMEI
, using MiFi on the Phone takes a bit more looking into as its registered as a correct IMEI as a Phone but then has a +1 to the other device, detecting User Agent or differing IP Address.

Problem is, as we both know, asking the question to the Networks regarding Tethering, doesn't always get the true answer, but more what there reading from a Screen Script.

Personally I would say you should be fine, Ive yet to come across a problem with tethering PAYG Sims around the World, well short term anyway.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Gaffers on 10 April 2014, 20:45:51
Trying to work out the T&Cs, does it allow use in a dongle/Mifi?

Hang on, reading t for you now.......
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Gaffers on 10 April 2014, 20:57:25
The only bit I can find on equipment is that it won't work with Blackberry.  It doesn't say that Dongles are not allowed, nor that they are.  I can call them tomorrow for you and ask :y
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: CaptainZok on 10 April 2014, 21:01:54
The only bit I can find on equipment is that it won't work with Blackberry.  It doesn't say that Dongles are not allowed, nor that they are.  I can call them tomorrow for you and ask :y
Only if he's wearing a beret and stripy jumper and flogging onions like a native?
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: SIR Philbutt on 10 April 2014, 21:23:05
TB

Remember a thread on the same subject last year and at the time found this
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/tech-mech-general/55515-wifi-france-local-french-sim-unlocked-mifi.html (http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/tech-mech-general/55515-wifi-france-local-french-sim-unlocked-mifi.html)
Some info there if you want to decipher

P

edit BTW i've found McD's is always a good source for free wifi, even in the car park  ;D ;)
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Gaffers on 11 April 2014, 11:48:38
Trying to work out the T&Cs, does it allow use in a dongle/Mifi?

Spent ages waiting in their call-centre queue, eventuqlly gqve up.  I have sent the question by email.  Once I get a reply I will post it here  :y
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Nick W on 11 April 2014, 12:48:39
When I go to France I get on the ferry, switch the data off, then the phone and forget about it for a fortnight.
Simple and cheap. Makes for a better holiday too.

Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Stemo on 11 April 2014, 12:59:24
When I go to France I get on the ferry, switch the data off, then the phone and forget about it for a fortnight.
Simple and cheap. Makes for a better holiday too.
We rented a cottage in N Yorkshire last year...no signal whatsoever. :y

It was funny when we set off for days out though. As soon as we picked up a signal, both of our phones would go mental.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 11 April 2014, 17:11:50
Trying to work out the T&Cs, does it allow use in a dongle/Mifi?

No idea tbh, most Networks will let you use tethering from day one, even if the T&C's says not allowed and normally only start to get the hump if your start damaging there Data Performance Monitoring through heavy Data use.

Using a Dongle could in theory get picked up relatively quickly as its not a Mobile Phone IMEI
, using MiFi on the Phone takes a bit more looking into as its registered as a correct IMEI as a Phone but then has a +1 to the other device, detecting User Agent or differing IP Address.

Problem is, as we both know, asking the question to the Networks regarding Tethering, doesn't always get the true answer, but more what there reading from a Screen Script.

Personally I would say you should be fine, Ive yet to come across a problem with tethering PAYG Sims around the World, well short term anyway.
In the UK, 3 get the hump. Quickly.  Apparently, PAYG for dongles/tablets/laptops isn't allowed.
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 11 April 2014, 17:14:26
TB

Remember a thread on the same subject last year and at the time found this
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/tech-mech-general/55515-wifi-france-local-french-sim-unlocked-mifi.html (http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/tech-mech-general/55515-wifi-france-local-french-sim-unlocked-mifi.html)
Some info there if you want to decipher

P

edit BTW i've found McD's is always a good source for free wifi, even in the car park  ;D ;)
As the Wifi in the farmhouse we had a couple of years ago was not working, we spent a lot of time around McDonalds, slurping their data. I'm trying to avoid that this time ;D
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: biggriffin on 11 April 2014, 17:55:49
When I go to France I get on the ferry, switch the data off, then the phone and forget about it for a fortnight.
Simple and cheap. Makes for a better holiday too.

same here going on hollydays, phone gets turned off and left in the car till its home time,and no computerge is taken.
 
what did people do before connectivity. :) they had fun  :y
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: TheBoy on 12 April 2014, 09:16:42
When I go to France I get on the ferry, switch the data off, then the phone and forget about it for a fortnight.
Simple and cheap. Makes for a better holiday too.

same here going on hollydays, phone gets turned off and left in the car till its home time,and no computerge is taken.
 
what did people do before connectivity. :) they had fun  :y
Email hadn't been invented, so we sent letters  :-[
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: Gaffers on 14 April 2014, 14:28:46
Reply from Lebara is not positive for tethering :-\
Title: Re: French PAYG Mobile Broadband SIM
Post by: zirk on 15 April 2014, 23:12:50
Reply from Lebara is not positive for tethering :-\
Probably still work for a month or two before they get on your case, TB will be back in the UK by then. The Lebera Uk mob, currently offer Unlimited Data for a £15 top up on the Vodafone Network, if you take the piss out of it they will restrict you to 3g speeds, (0.36 Mbs) which is still good enough for Laptop tethering.  ;)