Easiest and cheapest way - temp internet in France

[phylisbide]

We have iphones and a laptop. In France we can pick up emails most of the time on our phones. What is the easiest/cheapest way to link our laptop into the equation so that we can attach documents in our system to our email replies? Phylis

[Chiefluvvie]

Hi - just pick up a PAYG 3G Dongle from any of the operators e.g. Orange, SFR, Bouygues - really depends on your local mobile 3G coverage / signal. Available in their shops, on-line or in supermarkets - just like in the UK!

Failing that - free WiFi is available in all McDonalds restuarants or, if you use BT broadband in the UK you have free and unlimited access to any FON / SFR hotspot in France (over 4 million of them).

Failing that - use your mobile phone as a modem - bit more costly - depends on your roaming plan.

Chefluvvie

[Quillan]

[quote user="phylisbide"]We have iphones and a laptop. In France we can pick up emails most of the time on our phones. What is the easiest/cheapest way to link our laptop into the equation so that we can attach documents in our system to our email replies? Phylis
[/quote]

With the Iphone, have Googled a bit, you need to set up a personal 'hotspot' via the "Settings" menu. Then select General, settings, network, personal hotspot (in that order) and turn it ON.

If your Laptop has Bluetooth you need to turn it ON on both the Iphone and the Laptop. If you enable WiFi on both they will also connect.

If your still confused the try Googling using an iphone as a modem

Once you have set this up it should all function transparently for you as if you were at home connected to your normal router.

 

[AnOther]

There are apps for attaching documents to emails on an iPhone !

e.g. http://ismashphone.com/2009/07/how-to-send-documents-as-email-attachments-on-your-iphone.html

Another possibility is tethering, you use an app on the iPhone which turns it into a WiFi hotspot.

e.g. http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/the-best-iphone-tethering-apps-2012029/

Unfortunately tethering requires a jailbroken iPhone and if yours isn't - and you don't want to jailbreak it - then it sounds like a job for a 3g dongle for the laptop.

[Théière]

Pretty much the same for Android, my HTC has tethering but I don't use it just set as a wifi hotspot instead so no file to download.

Aren't there better deals for French dongles though

EDIT: T mobile "booster for data roaming is £10 for 50mb/ month.

O2 Data Abroad 50: £48.95 per month for 50MB of data! how does that compare with French offers on dongles?

[Chancer]

I am pleased to announce that I have not the slightest clue what any of you are talking about and long may it remain so.

[Richardbk]

" how does that compare with French offers on dongles?"

not very well when for €2 / month you could get a FREE subscription with 80Mb data. Simply put the chip in an SIM-unlocked dongle, or connect the PC to your phone.

[Théière]

Who is that with?

[pachapapa]

[quote user="Théière"]Who is that with?[/quote]

FREE!

[Théière]

This going to take some time if all we get is a small bit of info each post. Free? I haven't seen any shops in the high street saying Free so where does one obtain a Free dongle?

[Frederick]

http://mobile.free.fr/

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Théière"]This going to take some time if all we get is a small bit of info each post. Free? I haven't seen any shops in the high street saying Free so where does one obtain a Free dongle?[/quote][:D]And their site isn't much more helpful!

I too have been trying for ages to get a simple answer to the question of how somebody (in this specific case those people who come here for the race and want to have internet access for the week) can do this without a subscription and I can never get a good answer.  The Free site suggests that you can get internet access "sans abonement" and then goes on to say it costs so much a month and needs the usual complicated paperwork!  I can't figure out from their website where you get the dongle either.  It must be there but it's not immediately obvious to me, Frederick.

[Chiefluvvie]

quote Richardbk " how does that compare with French offers on dongles?" -not very well when for €2 / month you could get a FREE subscription with 80Mb data. Simply put the chip in an SIM-unlocked dongle, or connect the PC to your phone"

Emmmm....I don't think so Richard! The Freemobile 2€ offer only includes 60 min of domestic calls and 60 min of domestic sms per month - no data included - that is all extra. Not sure where you get your 80mb from??

Chiefluvvie

[Chiefluvvie]

coops - Freemobile do not offer dongles. Fred was suggesting you get hold of one of their no contract 2€ per month telephone sim cards and pop it in an 'unlocked' dongle - i.e. one that will take a sim card from any operator. Only problem is - on their 2€ per month offer - no data / internet access is included - it's all extra (detailed on their tarif sheets).

As already stated, you can pick up no contract 3G dongles from any of the main operators and supermarkets - or simply order one on-line. Only problem is they can be quite expensive as you effectively buy on-line data time (i.e. by the hour or day etc) when you top them up. You also need to make sure you have 3G reception from the relevant operator in your location.

Alternatively - sit in or near a McDonalds to use their free WiFi or, if you are a BT broadband customer in the UK, you can use any of the 4 million plus SFR / FON free WiFi hotspots in France.

Chiefluvvie

[Frederick]

http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/2/2677391/clockworkmod-tether-non-rooted-android-free-tethering

 Has anybody tried tethering ? .....and just how expensive did you find it  just for emails ? .... There is a world of information out there regarding use of a smart phone as a Wi Fi  Hotspot . It is  easy enough to connect to a smart phone with a tablet or laptop ...

[cooperlola]

Personally, I'll stick with my SFR deal for the 'puter because I just buy data by the day when I need it (ie when I was in hospital.)  I haven't tried tethering with my Android because my phone deal won't let me do this (Leclerc.)  Again, with Leclerc, I just activate the data roaming for the odd times when I'm away from home.

But none of this helps somebody without a French address. The circuit isn't a WiFi hotspot unfortunately so no good for keeping up with who's where/times etc, which is what the racegoer wants.

Sorry, o/p, for the hi-jack.  No need for anybody to respond to my comments, they are just observations.. 

[YCCMB]

Buying a no-contract dongle is neither cheap nor easy. Coops...at the risk of further hijack, but possibly of help to the OP, how do you top up your SFR dongle?

Last week I had to go with a friend whose husband is in hospital for a long stay, to buy a dongle (her French isn't bad but she's a technonumpty and had no idea what a clé 3G was, or even that such a thing existed). We combed the mobile shops - for some bizarre reason, most were completely out of stock of the darned things, but we ended up with SFR.

Against my advice (because I thought it best to get just a small amount of data, to see how well it worked before splashing out) she bought the SFR deal with dongle (€29) and 60 Mb of data (€30, I think) valid for 2 months. This included the first 2 days free. The husband was supposed to be staying in hospital in Bordeaux (100Km from home) for another 3-4 weeks, so visiting was tricky and we hoped that being able to get online would help him, but before delivering the dongle, he was moved closer to home. Which was lucky, because after the 2 days he couldn't get back online. We visited, and I spent ages trying to help him get connected.

Back here in the UK, I have an emergency dongle with O2. When I need to use it, I can just plug in and get credit instantly online. It even lets me connect to the internet free if I've got no credit left, so that I can top up. Now, unless I missed something (and I had to try 2 mobile phones to get a signal, and the combined efforts of 3 others to help before me meant that everyone was a bit sketchy about what they'd done up to then) it seems that the only way to top up on SFR is to ring them (at 6 cents a minute: is that good or bad?) or go into a shop to buy more credit. We'd got a code for the 60Mb, but I still had to phone up to enter that, rather than being able to enter the code somewhere online. Now, I probably missed something I'm sure, because what with half-a-dozen nurses popping in and out, and the patient and two other visitors all talking, it was a bit tricky to concentrate....but surely there's a simple way to top up online?

And as if that's not bad enough, the reception he was getting was fairly rubbish...

[cooperlola]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]Buying a no-contract dongle is neither cheap nor easy. Coops...at the risk of further hijack, but possibly of help to the OP, how do you top up your SFR dongle?

[/quote]The o/h bought a voucher and I phoned it in.  However, now that all my address details etc are registered I think I can do it on line but happily I've not been in hospital again since!  Let me have a lttle experimental go at it and I'll let you know.  But things are a little fraught here at the mo.... (house full of noisy builders and I am squashed in a corner with the pc and a clic-clack and little else!)

[YCCMB]

OK, no rush...thanks! I just worry that if the only way to top up is by phoning, he's going to be stymied. Let's face it: last week he wouldn't have known a 3G USB from a hole in the ground, and his French is pretty basic, so if phoning in is the only way forward, he's going to be a bit stuck. And he's looking at another couple of months in hospital...

[Richardbk]

"Only problem is - on their 2€ per month offer - no data / internet access is included - it's all extra (detailed on their tarif sheets). "

the FREE package is either free or 2€ / month package depending whether you are a free broadband client. To this you can add 20Mb data for an extra €1.99.

If you already have a data allowance on your phone, there is nothing to prevent you putting the SIM in a dongle and using that. Often the easiest option is to tether your phone, but some operators do not allow this on all packages and indeed on an iphone the operator may choose specifically to disable the function. I know that both Free and b-and-you (bouygues) do allow tethering on their 3Gb unlimited 20€/month packages.

[Théière]

[quote user="Frederick"]http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/2/2677391/clockworkmod-tether-non-rooted-android-free-tethering

 Has anybody tried tethering ? .....and just how expensive did you find it  just for emails ? .... There is a world of information out there regarding use of a smart phone as a Wi Fi  Hotspot . It is  easy enough to connect to a smart phone with a tablet or laptop ...
[/quote]

Yes Fred, that's what I am on at the moment, tethering requires downloading files and setting up which was problematic whereas using the hotspot is immediate.

[Stis]

The best offer for temporary internet is the "Pass Let's Go" from Orange (_http://boutique.orange.fr/ESHOP_mx_orange/?tp=F&ref=50988&IDCible=1&type=11&donnee_appel=ORESH&id=138721316079725)

It's €8 for the SIM with top-ups thus - a week for €15 (1GB) / €25 for a month (2GB).

You can buy the SIM at any Orange shop (although you my have to get the shop assistant to get the manager to understand what you are talking about!). Make sure you get the data only SIM for dongles. You will need to provide proof of ID and address (yawn) although this worked for me - "I am staying at a friends and don't have any ID with me" - then proceed to given them any valid French address and any name and DoB you wish.

Regarding the latter, you will need an unlocked dongle or a dongle locked to Orange (Ornage UK might work). These are pretty exepensive (over-priced) in France. Your best bet is to have a look on fleabay UK. or I have a spare (new) one available :-)

Hope this helps,

Stis

[Chiefluvvie]

Or....I sometimes just use my mobile phone as a modem - connected to my laptop via Bluetooth and sharing the internet access - takes about 5 seconds to set up!

As already stated - with my Freemobile full forfait I have up to 3GB per month before the speed is reduced and they don't mind you using your mobile sim for PC internet access - i.e. no extra charges.

Really simple - not sure what all this 'tethering' business is about! Sounds a bit kinky!

Chiefluvvie

[Stis]

[quote user="Chiefluvvie"]As already stated - with my Freemobile full forfait I have up to 3GB per month before the speed is reduced and they don't mind you using your mobile sim for PC internet access - i.e. no extra charges.[/quote]

I can't find where you already stated so.

Do you have a link for this "forfait"?

Stis

[Chiefluvvie]

Hi Stis - I didn't state it - Richard did!

Anyway - the Free Mobile link is:

http://mobile.free.fr/

I have the 19,99€ / month forfait (no contract) - if you already have Free broadband then it's only 15,99€ / month.

All details and tarifs on their website

Chiefluvvie