Best PAYG phone in France?

[melmoth]

Hi

Do cards for all pay as you go phones in France have a limited validity?

If so Virgin seems a good bet - is it?

I hardly use the phone but like it for emergences and incoming business calls.

Any suggestions most welcome

Brendan

[Clair]

See the most recent discussions here: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/search/SearchResults.aspx?q=payg&f=MzI0&u=

[melmoth]

OK well it seems that the cards have a limited validity - can anyone tell me whether LeClerc/Orange etc. PAYG phones work for incoming calls if the credit is expired?

Brendan

[Bilbo]

[quote user="melmoth"]OK well it seems that the cards have a limited validity - can anyone tell me whether LeClerc/Orange etc. PAYG phones work for incoming calls if the credit is expired?

Brendan

[/quote]

I am afraid I can't answer the question but, as a LeClerc user I wonder why anyone would want to let the credit lapse as it costs so little to keep it going. The maximum cost, without making any calls is only 18€ for a year, and you can renew the credit via the internet. In case you aren't aware of the LeClerc deal, they charge 1.50€ a month for their service and renewals last for 12 months. You pay whatever you need for calls on top of the 1.50€ a month with top-ups starting at 5€.

Orange is a very different matter as you have to keep topping up just to keep the number live. I lost over 40€ with Orange before changing to LeClerc.

[5-element]

I changed from Orange to Leclerc for the very same reason - there are whole blocks of time when I don't use my mobile at all, and then a block of a week or so when I need it. I am very happy with the Leclerc deal, since the credit is valid for a whole year. I too lost quite a lot of money with Orange before changing to Leclerc.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

I'd like to know why it costs 28c to sms abroad from my Orange PAYG phone when in France, yet if I take it out of the country it becomes 13c to sms abroad. Is someone taking the michel again?