Prepaid SIM - France
Sep 6, 2015, 11:35 am
#136
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Sep 6, 2015, 12:53 pm
#137
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Like I said, just go straight to the Orange website. I wouldn't trust a Wiki since these offers are changing constantly. https://boutique.orange.fr/tablette-...ternet-prepaye
If you can't figure out the French, try google translate or load a transation extension on your browser.
If you can't figure out the French, try google translate or load a transation extension on your browser.
Sep 6, 2015, 2:45 pm
#138
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Detroit; Formerly Dubai
Posts: 3,652
http://boutique.orange.fr/mobile/rec...internetMobile
This isn't the link to the data only card, but it includes a 1 gig of smartphone data for 10 €.
This isn't the link to the data only card, but it includes a 1 gig of smartphone data for 10 €.
Sep 11, 2015, 6:33 am
#139
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Denver CO
Posts: 3,682
While the 4G coverage is excellent throughout the population centers of France, you won't find it out in the middle of nowhere. Which is where the inter-city trains pass. However some of the Paris metro lines now have 4G coverage, such as the RER A throughout central Paris. It works great.
I live here so I don't know about pre-paid options. I would just walk into an Orange shop and ask. Or poke around more on orange.fr
I live here so I don't know about pre-paid options. I would just walk into an Orange shop and ask. Or poke around more on orange.fr
Sep 11, 2015, 8:18 am
#140
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Oct 18, 2015, 5:00 pm
#142
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Springfield,MO,USA
Programs: UA 1K MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,604
Hi,
I had a trip to Paris and Munich. My French language skill is very bad and I experienced a lengthy wait at an Orange Boutique on a prior visit several years ago. Therefore this time, I paid a premium and bought an Orange Holiday sim card from:
http://store.orange.com/us/
It cost $65.77 including shipping and included 1GB of data, 120 minutes of calling , both international and within France, and 120 text messages.
The sim was shipped from the US, arrived in 3 days and worked right away when I got to France.
I used it in my old Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which is carrier unlocked. I got 4G, not LTE which was fine as it was faster than my LTE service at home. I don't know if it would have received LTE if I had a different phone.
Access to Orange WiFi hot spots was included but I did not use that feature. There is an android app (all in French) or you can use your phone number and an access code which was sent via text. I guess it would be convenient if I had been somewhere that had service
I had minutes , texts and data left when I went to Germany so I turned on the phone and it worked. In fact, I never ran out and did not have to buy a German sim card. In Munich it roamed on O2, Telekom (T-Mobile) and E-Plus at various times and locations.
My best speedtest was on O2 in Munich near the Hbf.
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/1512977461
15.53 down, 2.66up.
I got better upload speeds in France but "only" 10Mb/s download.
So overall I was satisfied with my purchase.
If I had not been at Marriott's with free WiFi and WiFi at my meetings, 1GB would not have been sufficient but it worked out fine. I never registered the sim card and got a few text messages that it will be deactivated on November 8 if I do not register it.
I had a trip to Paris and Munich. My French language skill is very bad and I experienced a lengthy wait at an Orange Boutique on a prior visit several years ago. Therefore this time, I paid a premium and bought an Orange Holiday sim card from:
http://store.orange.com/us/
It cost $65.77 including shipping and included 1GB of data, 120 minutes of calling , both international and within France, and 120 text messages.
The sim was shipped from the US, arrived in 3 days and worked right away when I got to France.
I used it in my old Samsung Galaxy Note 2 which is carrier unlocked. I got 4G, not LTE which was fine as it was faster than my LTE service at home. I don't know if it would have received LTE if I had a different phone.
Access to Orange WiFi hot spots was included but I did not use that feature. There is an android app (all in French) or you can use your phone number and an access code which was sent via text. I guess it would be convenient if I had been somewhere that had service
I had minutes , texts and data left when I went to Germany so I turned on the phone and it worked. In fact, I never ran out and did not have to buy a German sim card. In Munich it roamed on O2, Telekom (T-Mobile) and E-Plus at various times and locations.
My best speedtest was on O2 in Munich near the Hbf.
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/a/1512977461
15.53 down, 2.66up.
I got better upload speeds in France but "only" 10Mb/s download.
So overall I was satisfied with my purchase.
If I had not been at Marriott's with free WiFi and WiFi at my meetings, 1GB would not have been sufficient but it worked out fine. I never registered the sim card and got a few text messages that it will be deactivated on November 8 if I do not register it.
Last edited by u600213; Oct 18, 2015 at 10:18 pm
Oct 19, 2015, 11:55 am
#143
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,888
I feel I should add to this thread...
We have a UK Three prepaid sim. We discovered that there are a number of countries in which you can use your Three sim for no added roaming costs (more here). We simply bought an 10GBP add-on for data, and we were in business.
We have a UK Three prepaid sim. We discovered that there are a number of countries in which you can use your Three sim for no added roaming costs (more here). We simply bought an 10GBP add-on for data, and we were in business.
Last edited by Buster; Oct 19, 2015 at 2:59 pm Reason: clarity
Oct 19, 2015, 2:59 pm
#145
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,888
Realistically, I don't use THAT much data when I'm abroad, especially if I'm staying somewhere with wifi, so 1GB for a week works just fine for me, and this is overall much, much easier than figuring out new sims and APN settings for different networks.
Oct 19, 2015, 3:09 pm
#146
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
It is prepaid. It's a bit confusing, but you essentially have to top up your phone, and then log into your Three account to buy what they call an "add-on" for data. I should correct myself - it's not unlimited, but I've never actually bumped up against the limits. You can get 1GB for £10, 3GB for £15 or 7GB for £25.
Realistically, I don't use THAT much data when I'm abroad, especially if I'm staying somewhere with wifi, so 1GB for a week works just fine for me, and this is overall much, much easier than figuring out new sims and APN settings for different networks.
Realistically, I don't use THAT much data when I'm abroad, especially if I'm staying somewhere with wifi, so 1GB for a week works just fine for me, and this is overall much, much easier than figuring out new sims and APN settings for different networks.
Is there a way to keep the number for a longer period without paying monthly fees?
Oct 19, 2015, 3:49 pm
#147
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,888
Nov 4, 2015, 11:06 pm
#149
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 821
Thank you! very useful, only German is not included 
where did you buy your 3 SIM, in 3 store? since link said： ＂If you're on Pay As You Go, all you need to do is convert your credit into an Add-On＂can I just get a $0 prepaid plan and put $20 add on then get unlimited data? http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go
Thanks!
where did you buy your 3 SIM, in 3 store? since link said： ＂If you're on Pay As You Go, all you need to do is convert your credit into an Add-On＂can I just get a $0 prepaid plan and put $20 add on then get unlimited data? http://www.three.co.uk/Store/SIM/Pay_As_You_Go
Thanks!
I don't pay a monthly fee. We go to the UK fairly often, so I don't have to worry about losing the number, but a lot of prepaid sims are kept alive if you use them once every 90 days or so. There's more info in the UK sim wiki on how 3 prepaid works.
Last edited by ecgz88; Nov 4, 2015 at 11:23 pm
Nov 5, 2015, 3:09 am
#150
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1
Last time I went to France I used a pocketwifi from the company named hippocketwifi and it worked perfectly fine.
They have some kind of unlimited offer and the price was pretty decent.
I ordered it on their website and I received it when I got to my airbnb.
It is a reliable option since I was in paris for a few days and didn't want to order a prepaid SIM card.
They have some kind of unlimited offer and the price was pretty decent.
I ordered it on their website and I received it when I got to my airbnb.
It is a reliable option since I was in paris for a few days and didn't want to order a prepaid SIM card.