Thanks. I don't need to know myself (other than to satisfy my curiosity), but it might be helpful to others here if it's not too much trouble for you to find out.
I remember that it was an Orange plan/deal, but I don't remember much else. I remember that they build by the hour and it was like 6 hours for 30 euros. To say that my friend was unhappy is an understatement. Here is his e-mail to me:
"Yes, I used Orange. Things to remember - it's expensive. Unused time expires in 30 days. Even when I got an Orange signal, I couldn't always get on line. In fact, often could not. Cafes with hotspots dont seem to exist so plan B should be hotel in internet cafes.
I was really disappointed and the meter would keep running if you did the initial sign-in but didn't actually get on line. And you have to be on-line to log out and stop the meter !!! I'd simply have to shut down my computer if it made in through the first hoop (orange phone signal) ubt not the second (actual web connection). same problem if the signal is lost while on line. You can't log off and hence you can't try to log back in - because Orange thinks you;re already on line (and is charging you for the pleasure of lying on the side of the road."
He was using the card in Baeritz (sp?), not Paris. I presume the signal was a little better in Paris.