3G Internet in Paris

Hi All,

I am planning a trip to Paris/Caen next month. This is going to be my second trip to France but first to Paris. Last time I had a tough time staying connected as the hotel charged 20 Euros per hour.

This time I have decided to buy a local SIM which I can use in my unlocked phone. Given that I will be staying a week in Paris and a week in Caen, which SIM should be better for me, Orange or SFR? Which one of them have unlimited 3G packages so that I can connect without worries through my laptop? How much would the SIM cost?

A friend recommended SFR and he said I could get SIM plus one month unlimited 3G for under 50 Euros, but its hard to verify that as all sites are in french.

Any advice with rates will be highly appreciated.

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Personally, I%26#39;m using a Orange sim card in my laptop (no need of USB sim adaptor) with unlimited access. However, this is not what you need.

In Paris itself, the quality of 3G+ is very good. Elsewhere, it could be surprising...

SFR has specific products for short use: you buy the USB key for 69 Euros (there is a 40 Euros rebate on demand but with restrictions and I doubt you%26#39;ll get it).

The 69 Euros include 3 hours. After that, you can buy different pass:

- 20 mins (in 24 hours): 3 Euros

- 1 hour (in 7 days): 7 Euros

- 3 hours (in 15 days): 16 Euros

- 8 hours (in 15 days): 26 Euros

- 15 hours (in 30 days): 39 Euros - limited volume of this one

- 1 day (24 consecutive hours from 1st connection): 9 Euros

On the website, they say they could limit to 75Mo per day but I doubt they%26#39;ll do this. I have similar restrictions on Orange ( 1Go per month) but regurarely goes over 3 or 4 Go without being bothered. sfr.fr/internet-mobile/…

Orange also does this:

- USB key is 79 Euros, including 6 hours to be used within 6 months

- 20 minutes (in 24 hours): 3 EUros

- 1 hour (in 1 month): 8 EUros

- 2 hours (in 1 month): 14 EUros

- 6 hours (in 1 month): 25 EUros

- 12 hours (in 1 month): 35 EUros

Info on www.orange.fr/bin/frame.cgi… (tab %26quot;sans engagement%26quot;)

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1. There is probably not a great deal of difference between the Orange network and the SFR network.

2. The Orange 3G plan is to purchase a USB/3G SIM device for 49 euros. This purchase includes 6 hours of connect time. 6 additional hours cost 25 euros. There are unlimited plans but these require a long term contract.

3. The SFR 3G plan offers the USB/3G SIM for 29 euros which inlcudes 3 hours of connect time. As with the Orange plan there are various options for purchasing additional minutes. For example you may purchase 8 additional hours for 26 euros. Unlimited plans require a long term contract.

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Orange does have better reception in the métro though...

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Sarastro, the price you%26#39;re quoting are false.

To enjoy them, you must be living in France, which is obviously not the case.

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%26lt;%26lt;To enjoy them, you must be living in France, which is obviously not the case.%26gt;%26gt;

Just a few small details, Globetraveller-nice:

1. I%26#39;m not purchasing a 3G plan so what possible difference could it make where I may or may not live. Additionally, I have scanned the %26quot;Mentions légales%26quot; of SFR and was unable to find the residency requirements you mention. Here%26#39;s the link, perhaps you could help us all by quoting the requirement to which you refer.

sfr.fr/internet-mobile/…

2. Strangely, I quote the same %26quot;false%26quot; prices you quote. The only difference is I included the rebate in the key price. Perhaps your caustic comments could be better formulated and could result in more useful information for everyone had you simply expressed you concerns about one%26#39;s ability to qualify for the rebate.

3. I fail to recognize how comments such as:

%26lt;%26lt;Sarastro, the price you%26#39;re quoting are false. %26gt;%26gt;

by themselves help Musaad, the original poster of this question.

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I%26#39;m VERY curious about the outcome of this because I%26#39;ve been told by Orange at their boutiques that 3G isn%26#39;t available without a contract that requires a minimum one-year commitment (and a French bank account). We have a contract and a bank account for our iPhone service but last April I went into an Orange boutique and they told me that buying a pay-as-you-go SIMM would not allow 3G functionality.

Then somewhere on the web I read that the %26quot;data roaming%26quot; aspect of 3G connectivity is so lucrative to AT%26amp;T, Orange, etc; that the carriers are milking it for all it%26#39;s worth and it will take at least a year for the EU to issue some rules to control the possibly predatory practices.

My Orange contract gives me coverage in all the population centers in France and for the most part it%26#39;s good and I%26#39;m happy with the coverage. I don%26#39;t know about 3G outside of a French contracted service.

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Sarastro, I have not been caustic. I doubt you could say the same.

In order to enjoy the rebate, the form requires a French address. Here in France, we are used to such rebates opened to people who live exclusively in France. If you try to open the form, you%26#39;ll see.

I am sorry to insist but the correct rates are the ones I mentionned.

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Globetraveller-nice, we are both quoting the SAME rates and we%26#39;re possibly obtaining them from the same sources. The difference - I included the discount in the key purchase - that%26#39;s it.

Metromole - I agree with the one year commitment as that is what I have always seen. However, checking the websites today is the first time I have read about a arrangement %26quot;sans engagement%26quot;.

Take a look and tell us what you think or point out what I am missing:

www.orange.fr/bin/frame.cgi…

sfr.fr/internet-mobile/…

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Thanks to everyone who posted. The comments are really helpful. The packages offered by SFR look good as the initial cost is lower than Orange and the daily rate of 9 Euros is doable.

Still makes me wonder though. 3G in France is very expensive as compared to other countries. Here in Kuwait you can get a data SIM for 5 Euros and daily unlimited for 3.5 Euros or monthly for 60 Euros. This is even when the available bandwidth here is nothing compared to France.

Anyway thanks again for the comments.