phone usage in France
#2

Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,297
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We've had TMobile for probably 10-15 years, and of course it works great in Europe w free texting and data (due to Deutche Telecom origin), our iPhones work better than our old Samsung Androids, here and there. We love TMobile and our two phones at senior prices come in at $60/month total (i 6 and i 6S). Have previously had Sprint, At&T carriers and TMobile is better than they were. No we wouldnt consider paying Verizon prices. But so many people are so married to the Bell System......
#4

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
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You could try this: https://boutique.orange.fr/mobile/ca...ge-holiday-eng
#5
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 216
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Just go to any shop - orange Bouygues SFR.
Get the plan to suits you best.
#6
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
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We have AT&T at home and due to an unlocking snafu with a new iphone X (AT&T's fault) we had to sign up for the $10/day interntional plan when we were last in France, Ireland and England. It worked great for phoning, texting and internet (including google maps, which might have been the most important).
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#8
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,518
Likes: 0
"we trried that with our carrier"
Which carrier? AT&T?. We've used AT&T for about 3-4 years and never had problems.
sf7307. I have to purchase a new iphone (probably 8). What kind of lock problems did you initally have?
Stu Dudley
Go Niners!!!
Mostert is from my alma mater
Which carrier? AT&T?. We've used AT&T for about 3-4 years and never had problems.
sf7307. I have to purchase a new iphone (probably 8). What kind of lock problems did you initally have?
Stu Dudley
Go Niners!!!
Mostert is from my alma mater
#9
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
"we trried that with our carrier"
Which carrier? AT&T?. We've used AT&T for about 3-4 years and never had problems.
sf7307. I have to purchase a new iphone (probably 8). What kind of lock problems did you initally have?
Stu Dudley
Go Niners!!!
Mostert is from my alma mater
Which carrier? AT&T?. We've used AT&T for about 3-4 years and never had problems.
sf7307. I have to purchase a new iphone (probably 8). What kind of lock problems did you initally have?
Stu Dudley
Go Niners!!!
Mostert is from my alma mater
Bottom line - if you pay cash, it should be unlocked - just check that it is before you leave for France (better yet, before you leave the store)!
And Go Niners!!
#11
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
We used to have Verizon and then switched to T-Mobile. Absolutely love it. We don't have to pay extra for our data and I believe it's also free to send text messages whenever we travel abroad. We've used it in Paris, Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, London, Hamburg, Gent, Bruges and Brussels.
#12
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 216
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#13

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,097
Likes: 1
We bought a SIM card from 3 (a mobile phone carrier) and used it for a month in France with no problems. We did buy it in London, I'm not sure if you can get them in France. It was quite cheap, I think 15 pounds and we used the data every day for maps, emails, translations etc, made some calls but not a lot.
Also my sister uses Whatsapp when she is overseas, it's free to get the app and you can use it for voice calls but I think only with other Whatsapp users so wouldn't work if you had to call your bank or hotel, for example. With Whatsapp you can send text messages, photos etc.
We were with T Mobile for a few years when living in the UK and had no problems with them, used them all the time in Europe.
Kay
Also my sister uses Whatsapp when she is overseas, it's free to get the app and you can use it for voice calls but I think only with other Whatsapp users so wouldn't work if you had to call your bank or hotel, for example. With Whatsapp you can send text messages, photos etc.
We were with T Mobile for a few years when living in the UK and had no problems with them, used them all the time in Europe.
Kay
#14

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,578
Likes: 0
We have T-mobile which we use for texting and data in France. We don't use it to make phone calls within France, but the plan gives us free calls to the US if we're on wifi. Most of the time it works great, though it's sometimes geographically challenged, usually when we could desperately use a traffic update. But I don't think that's a T-mobile problem.
We make local calls on a French phone we bought at E Leclerc along with a prepayment plan. If we don't use it we're charged 1.50 euro per month and when we're using it in France we're charged for whatever that month's usage is.
At home we live in a T-mobile black hole so we have to use wifi to make calls. This works for my phone but not my husband's, even though we're on the same plan and have Samsung phones, just not the same model.
We make local calls on a French phone we bought at E Leclerc along with a prepayment plan. If we don't use it we're charged 1.50 euro per month and when we're using it in France we're charged for whatever that month's usage is.
At home we live in a T-mobile black hole so we have to use wifi to make calls. This works for my phone but not my husband's, even though we're on the same plan and have Samsung phones, just not the same model.
#15
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 0
Doesn't WhatsApp require WiFi (as opposed to cell service)? If I have WiFi, I can just use Facetime Audio to make a call. But if I wanted to be connected "on the road" (internet for maps and googling), don't I need something else?
#16

Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 19,747
Likes: 0
Whatsapp requires an internet connection whether on someones WiFi or using your phones data connection.
Many businesses also have Whatsapp, but not all, and it only works with mobile phones not landlines.
We have found some black holes in France regaardless of carrier - we are on te same Dutch provider, using EU roaming and our phones are set to find the strongest signal, but often find different carriers sometimes with one having 4G while the other has none, but also plenty of places with no signal for phone or data.
If you are willing and able to swtich carriers and you are not EU then T-Mobile is probably your best bet. Or have your phone unlocked and use a local SIM, which you can also use when in other EU countries. It is however not yet clear how Brexit will affect roaming in Europe with a British SIM and vice versa.
Many businesses also have Whatsapp, but not all, and it only works with mobile phones not landlines.
We have found some black holes in France regaardless of carrier - we are on te same Dutch provider, using EU roaming and our phones are set to find the strongest signal, but often find different carriers sometimes with one having 4G while the other has none, but also plenty of places with no signal for phone or data.
If you are willing and able to swtich carriers and you are not EU then T-Mobile is probably your best bet. Or have your phone unlocked and use a local SIM, which you can also use when in other EU countries. It is however not yet clear how Brexit will affect roaming in Europe with a British SIM and vice versa.




