Communicating in France

[Seastar]

Hi everyone. We have just joined this forum and have already found it very usefull. We have been lucky enough to organize an exchange where we can cruise the canals in Burgandy for a couple of weeks. I will have to be able to access the internet to get email about our business while we are away. I have an Australian Telecom dongle so do I just have to purchase a SIM card from a provider in France and put that in the dongle to access the net on my laptop or is there something that I am missing here? Also I have international roaming on my I Phone but my Australian plan is super expensive if I use it overseas. Should I just get another temporary phone or can I do something with my phone to access a local plan. If I get the internet organized I can use Skype to phone people but I was wondering what happens when someone phones me on my normal mobile number.

[Ecossais]

Hi Seastar,

Your Australian dongle will most likely be locked to your network so a French SIM card will probably not work.

It should be easy to establish if your iPhone is locked – if, for example, you are on Telstra, try a Vodafone SIM card in it, etc.

International data roaming charges are expensive – I cant comment on Australian networks, but it’s VERY expensive to use a UK dongle abroad. You can buy French Pay As You Go dongles (called “Clé 3G”) for around 29€. A 25€ top-up gives you 12 hours of internet access valid for 1 month. See orange.fr for more options. However, you also need to have a look at the network coverage maps for the area you will be travelling through. Be aware that there is not 3G coverage everywhere.

You might also want to consider checking out what wi-fi hotspots are on your route.

With regard to mobile phone calls, it really depends on who will be calling you and who you will be calling. If most of your calls will be within France, a French Pay As You Go SIM will be the cheapest option. If you use your Australian mobile, someone from Australia calling you will pay the normal cost of the call, however you will be billed the roaming charge by the minute.

You should compare your network’s international call costs with those of the French networks.

[Dog]

Relax you are on holiday.

Dump the idea of contact with the remote island and enjoy...

Plus your brain gets a holiday from all those nasty radio waves blasting your brain cells away.

Try some Goudale Beer or some Champagne.