AJPeabody

We are planning a trip to Paris. My very cheap old GSM mobile phone no longer works, and my home cellphone is with Verizon, and thus incompatible with most of the rest of the world. I plan to get a cheap GSM phone to use so I will also need a cheap SIM with a minimal plan for 2 weeks in France and few calls other than for reservations, emergencies, and for contact with the airline while I am there, plus perhaps a rare call and texts to the US. Wifi calling might also be nice. Data? Don't know, as that will depend on what phone I pick up.

The online info I find on Lebara is less than current. It shows that it may be possible to get a SIM chip sent to me if I fiddle with the address. Is this ploy still working? Can I get one chip for me and a second one for my wife if I get her a phone, too, using the same address? Does anyone know how long it takes for a chip to come and how long I can hold it before activation? Once activated, will it remain active on their cheap plan and not expire before I return home? We are planning a September trip, by the way.

Any current information will be appreciated.

AJ

StCirq

I have no idea what the current status of Lebara SIMs is with regard to getting them sent to the USA, as I don't live there anymore and no longer need one, but what I do know is twice I got one sent to me in the USA and it arrived within about a week, and once it never arrived. But at any rate, you need to register your French number officially, no matter how you obtain it, and that involves turning over your passport, so I can't see any great advantage to getting a Lebara SIM in advance. Just go to a phone store or a tabac and buy one (or SFR or FREE or Orange or whatever). I haven't seen any evidence in the past year or so around where we live that Lebara is even still functional. No one we know uses it.

Sarastro

In the past, Lebara had sent a few SIMs to the USA but it never was an official policy and was never supported by their tech services.

You can usually pickup a SIM at the airport upon your arrival. Relay stores usually have SIMs available for 10€ which includes 5€ of talk time. What you will need to do is setup the appropriate APNs applicable to the service provider whose SIM you want to use.

Alternatively, you can purchase a prepaid plan from Orange, Bouygues, SFR, or FREE at one of their in town boutiques and they will configure your phone for you.

StuDudley

My wife is the phone user - but I'm the one who usually secures the Lebara after she translates the Lebara web info to me (she speaks French - I don't).

In 2015, we sent away for 2 Lebara SIMs and received both about 2-4 weeks later. We didn't use one, so I sent it to a Fodors friend who did not receive her Lebara SIM. We kept our SIM alive from 2015 to 2016 by adding $$$ to extend the "life" of the SIM even though we were not using it. That maybe was not a good idea, so this year we are getting a new SIM.

Last time we checked (things change - so old info is rather useless) Lebara was the best deal. We tried SFR in about 2013 or 14, but it didn't work that great (can't remember why). In 2015, I tried to find stores in France that sold Lebara SIMs but could not find any. There were plenty of places to "top up" SIMs - but no places to Purchase SIMs.

I've read here (above post) that you can now purchase Lebara SIMs at Relay stores and I have "heard" the same thing from other sources. We have about a 4 hr layover this June between arriving at CDG & taking the TGV to Lyon. As I recall, there is a Relay at CDG - where I thought I might try to purchase a Lebara SIM.

I have a few questions:

>>What you will need to do is setup the appropriate APNs applicable to the service provider whose SIM you want to use.<<

1. What is an APN?
2. Isn't the service provider Lebara??
3. Are my chances greater than 70% of walking into a Relay in Paris (or Lyon) and purchasing a SIM?

Thanks

Stu Dudley

Sarastro

<i>1. What is an APN?</i>

Access Point Name - which must be configured to the specifications of your service provider. It´s rather easy to do. On an Android phone select settings, cellular networks, Access Point Names and follow the settings as provided by Lebara or some other company. The APNs and instructions on how to add them are also available on line.

<i>2. Isn't the service provider Lebara??</i>

It can be depending upon whose SIM you purchase. It could also be Lycamobile, NRJ, or Virgin Mobile among others.

<i>3. Are my chances greater than 70% of walking into a Relay in Paris</i>

Usually the magazine stores or tabacs at train stations or airports sell SIMs from various providers. There are a good number of Relay stores at CDG.

StuDudley

>>Access Point Name - which must be configured to the specifications of your service provider. It´s rather easy to do. On an Android phone select settings, cellular networks, Access Point Names and follow the settings as provided by Lebara or some other company. The APNs and instructions on how to add them are also available on line.<<

I sure don't remember doing that in 2015 or earlier on my old Samsung flip phone. As I recall, I just popped in the SIM & it worked fine..

I'll wait till CDG or Lyon to get the Lebara Sim.

Thanks

Stu Dudley

StCirq

I have never, ever, found a Relay store at any airport in France that had a Lebara SIM. Could be just happenstance, but they always had Orange and SFR and sometimes Lycamobile, and frankly, what difference does it make? There's nothing special about Lebara.

No matter what SIM you purchase, you have to register/activate it, which requires your passport and filling out a form. If you can't figure out how to configure the APN youself, there is usually someone who can do it for you in 2 minutes or less.

AJPeabody

I inquired on Lebara due to seeing I could possibly get the chip and test the phone before I left, and could leave the new number with contacts at home. Of course any reasonably priced alternative I pick up in Paris will do.

Any information on very cheap phone/chip/plan packages that I could do all at once on the spot without chewing up much vacation time? Overall cost?