Telephone service for maison secondaire

[tegwini]

Since our house in France is a maison secondaire I intended to switch the  phone off between visits and I think we pay extra for this service.

Trouble is,  it is so difficult to get through to FT to ask them to do this, and also to get it switched on again.   Last week I phoned FT 5 times on one day, only to be told to call again - too busy.    And, on one visit it took days to get it switched on again,  so now we seem to leave it on.

Does anyone know the difference in cost ?   I am almost convinced that we are saving little, what with calls to FT from here to get it off, and then on again - quite apart from the frustration !

Any ideas very welcome.

Thanks in advance

Tegwini

[Alex H]

Sorry to hijack your thread, but how did you actually get the service in the first place?

I have been trying for ages, but even a visit to FT in Limoges proved to be useless - they said we could not have it if our primary residence was not in France.

I though the idea was to switch on / off via the internet -  do you not have that facility?

[Owens88]

I thought I just e-mailed them.

 

John

[bubbles]

I just sent an e mail.

No problem and I think the only charge was about 4 euros.

[Helen]

We've just signed up for this ourselves and so haven't yet had to reactivate. However, we'd understood that you could activate / deactivate via the Internet and that was what we were planning to do.  Have you tried doing it that way?  (System seems to be down at the moment so I couldn't check it for myself).

 

[Department71]

We are looking at having a phone installed at our "holiday home" we went to the local FT/Orange shop to enquire, we didn't mention a second home line but they knew we were English, I asked if the line could be turned off when we weren't there, his reply was no problem you can do it via the internet and the fee is about 9 euros to stop and restart the service. Only problem I have is the scare stories you hear about them screwing up our account, but may bite the bullet on our return in May.

Good luck

Steve

[DavyH]

[quote user="tegwini"]Since our house in France is a maison secondaire I intended to switch the  phone off between visits and I think we pay extra for this service.

Trouble is,  it is so difficult to get through to FT to ask them to do this, and also to get it switched on again.   Last week I phoned FT 5 times on one day, only to be told to call again - too busy.    And, on one visit it took days to get it switched on again,  so now we seem to leave it on.

Does anyone know the difference in cost ?   I am almost convinced that we are saving little, what with calls to FT from here to get it off, and then on again - quite apart from the frustration !

Any ideas very welcome.

Thanks in advance

Tegwini[/quote]

Try registering on this France telecom site then you can stop/start the service on line.

 http://www.espaceclient.francetelecom.com/ecare/servlets/an_AccueilServlet

I switch on my phone from the UK a day or 2 before leaving and the same way when I return.  Done this 5/6 times a year for maybe 4 years and never have any problems.  Costs me about 5 euros for reactivation each time so I reckon i save a few £££ each year.

(looks like you may have to copy and paste the link)

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="Department71"]We are looking at having a phone installed at our "holiday home" we went to the local FT/Orange shop to enquire, we didn't mention a second home line but they knew we were English, I asked if the line could be turned off when we weren't there, his reply was no problem you can do it via the internet and the fee is about 9 euros to stop and restart the service. Only problem I have is the scare stories you hear about them screwing up our account, but may bite the bullet on our return in May.

Good luck

Steve
[/quote]

I've been turning the phone service for our French maisons secondaires on and off online for several years- never had a problem.  I order the turn-on a couple of days before leaving the US & turn it off after leaving France.

France Telecom charges 4,69 euros (including VAT) per time to turn the service off, nothing to turn it on.  Remember that you must turn it off for a minimum of 1 month (and I think you must turn it on at least once a year to maintain the same number- it might be once every 2 years, I'm not sure as the issue has never come up for us).  There may be a maximum number of times (6?) that you can turn it off and on per year.

I think the base charge when it's turned on is now about 16 euros/month.

 

[Clair]

Ligne Résidence Secondaire

[quote]Pour bénéficier des avantages de la Ligne Résidence Secondaire, vous

devez être titulaire d’un Abonnement Principal sur votre ligne.

• Après
  souscription au service Ligne Résidence Secondaire votre Abonnement Principal
  sera transformé en Ligne Résidence Secondaire.

• La remise en service de la ligne est gratuite et est réalisée pour une durée
  minimum de 1 mois.

La période de suspension :

• Votre ligne peut être suspendue pour une durée minimum de 1 mois.

• La durée maximale de la période de suspension est de 1 an, au delà de cette
  période votre ligne sera résiliée et le numéro pourra être réattribué à une
  autre personne.

• Vous conservez votre numéro de téléphone même pendant la suspension de votre
  ligne.

• Vous pouvez suspendre votre ligne jusqu'à 6 fois dans l’année.

• Lorsque la ligne est suspendue, vous ne payez pas d'abonnement principal.

Souscription : Vous devrez fournir, à l'agence France Télécom dont

vous dépendez, une attestation d'assurance indiquant la nature de l'habitation

et/ou un document fiscal précisant l'adresse de la résidence principale. Si vous

ne délivrez pas ces justificatifs sous une semaine votre commande sera annulée.

Tarifs :

• Abonnement mensuel métropole : 16 EUR TTC* (idem à celui de l'Abonnement
  Principal).

• Suspension de la ligne : 4,69 EUR TTC en métropole .

• La souscription à la Carte France Télécom n’est pas acceptée.[/quote]

[quote]Le client doit justifier de l’existence d’une résidence secondaire en produisant les documents suivants :

- attestation de l’assurance indiquant la nature de l’habitation et

- document fiscal précisant l’adresse de la résidence principale (1ère page de la déclaration d’impôt sur le revenu n°2042 ou toute autre pièce de type certificat/attestation de résident dans un pays étranger qui aura été dûment établi par l’autorité fiscale locale).

[...]

La ligne peut être suspendue à la demande du client pour une durée minimum de 1 mois, et une durée maximum d’un an et ce, dans la limite de six suspensions maximum sur une période de douze mois. Au-delà de cette période d’un an de suspension, faute d’indication préalable contraire du client, le contrat est résilié de plein droit par France Télécom et le numéro de téléphone de l’abonné pourra être attribué à un tiers par France Télécom

http://www.agence.francetelecom.com/doc/contrat56.pdf[/quote]

Google translation:

The customer must provide proof of the existence of a secondary residence in producing the following documents:

- Certificate of insurance indicating the nature of housing and

- Tax document indicating the address of the principal residence

(1st page of the declaration of income tax No. 2042 or any other

document type certificate / proof of residence in a foreign country

which has been duly established by the authority local tax).

[...]

The line can be suspended at the request of the customer for a

minimum of 1 month and a maximum of one year and in the limit of six

suspensions over a maximum period of twelve months. Beyond this

one-year period of suspension, lack of indication in advance of the

client, the contract is automatically terminated by France Telecom and

telephone number of the subscriber will be awarded to a third by France

Telecom

[Kitty]

Just to let you know that the correct phrase is residence secondaire - it was a mistake that I made before I lived in France.

[Department71]

DavyH

Re turning phone on/off via the internet, is this something that is organized by FT when you take out the phone contract at the FT office, or is it left to you to sort this out later.

steve

[tegwini]

Thanks all for the help.

Not difficult to get onto this system - we did it at the Orange/FT shop in town.  I am still trying to turn the phone off - almost giving up now.

I tried again today via the phone - told yet again, by a machine, that they are too busy - 'call again'.   Also logged on & registered - but couldn't find a link, or means to turn the phone off.   And, I also can't find FT's email - looked everywhere for that.

Help !!!

Regards

tegwini

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="tegwini"]

Thanks all for the help.

Not difficult to get onto this system - we did it at the Orange/FT shop in town.  I am still trying to turn the phone off - almost giving up now.

I tried again today via the phone - told yet again, by a machine, that they are too busy - 'call again'.   Also logged on & registered - but couldn't find a link, or means to turn the phone off.   And, I also can't find FT's email - looked everywhere for that.

Help !!!

Regards

tegwini

[/quote]

1. Go to France Telecom website and sign into "Espace Client".

2. Click on the telephone number under "Ligne Fixe".

3. Click on the link "tous mes services" (in the column at left under "mes services")

4. On the "mes services" page, you should see something rather like this:           

adresse  : 1 rue tegwini

abonnement  : Ligne résidence secondaire

Demander la suspension de la ligne

5. Click on the link for suspension of the line.

 

[tegwini]

Many thanks Tenniswitch and apologies for my delay in replying - I had a senior moment and couldn't find my post.

Yes I've just done it I think,  now crossing fingers that I can get it switched on again!

Regards

Tegwini

 

[tegwini]

Hello again - another senior moment ?

I had a look again, just to see how to turn it on again, and couldn't find out how!   Could you explain that to me Tenniswitch please?

Many thanks & regards

Tegwini

[tenniswitch]

[quote user="tegwini"]

Hello again - another senior moment ?

I had a look again, just to see how to turn it on again, and couldn't find out how!   Could you explain that to me Tenniswitch please?

Many thanks & regards

Tegwini

[/quote]

First, remember that you cannot turn it on again for at least 1 month!

You'll do the same thing that you did to turn it off.  This time you'll see a link labelled "Demander l'activation de la ligne".  You'll click on that to order the activation of the line.

Note: It generally takes a couple of days after you put in the order to turn the phone off before that is reflected on the website.  That doesn't necessarily mean that it hasn't been turned off, just that you'll still see "Demander la suspension de la ligne " for a couple of days.

[Simon Rayfield]

Looking at the economics of this - if one spends on average more than 6 months in France in any one year, paying an extra 16 euros/month plus the disconnection charge of 4.69 euros per switch makes it barely worth it!

That is assuming one gets a complete rebate each month of 39 euros for a ligne illimite fixe, for a lesser fixe it wouldn't be cost effective.

sr

[JacquesW]

[quote user="tegwini"]

Thanks all for the help.

Not difficult to get onto this system - we did it at the Orange/FT shop in town.  I am still trying to turn the phone off - almost giving up now.

I tried again today via the phone - told yet again, by a machine, that they are too busy - 'call again'.   Also logged on & registered - but couldn't find a link, or means to turn the phone off.   And, I also can't find FT's email - looked everywhere for that.

Help !!!

Regards

tegwini

[/quote]

After reading on France forum, I called the FT English line and signed up for a Holiday Home account with line

rental at 32,00 per 2 months and Internet (Livebox) at 27,90 per month

- both can be switched off at any time and we only pay for when it is

on.    Switch off costs 4,69 euros each

time and we are allowed 6 times per annum.    It is possible to

switch off and on on the internet; alternatively this can be done by

phone or by sending an email to [email protected]

.

Good luck

J

[JacquesW]

[quote user="Simon Rayfield"]Looking at the economics of this - if one spends on average more than 6 months in France in any one year, paying an extra 16 euros/month plus the disconnection charge of 4.69 euros per switch makes it barely worth it!

That is assuming one gets a complete rebate each month of 39 euros for a ligne illimite fixe, for a lesser fixe it wouldn't be cost effective.

sr[/quote]

Yes Simon, the economics are interesting.    We have been paying 16 euros per month line rental = 192 euros per annum.   Using the residence secondaire account with line rental and internet will cost 46,90 per month (16,00 + 27,90 + 3,00), so if we are there for 4 months in total the cost should be 187 euros excluding the 3 or 4 switch offs at 4,69 each.    A good deal as far as I am concerned as we should effectively have broadband for free.

Cheers

J

[napoleon]

This thread is proving to be very informative (for me at least). Thanks everyone.

Does anyone know if it is possible turn off the broadband connection via the internet but leave the normal phone active?

I need the phone for a security link but could do with not having to phone each time to ask for the broadband to be reinstated or pay for it all the time.

Alistair

[tegwini]

Well I wonder how everyone here is getting on with suspending and activating?

Hopeless for me on the internet - really messed up ID code, then the internet said come back later, and I can't risk doing this any later, busy, and will perhaps forget,  so I managed to phone FT, in France, in French  800 101 486, from the UK (using 0033).  It's on the bill, and I think,   I hope,  I really do hope  the phone will be on again this Friday - hopefully ... 

I did try various alternatives, including this posted on this thread -

After reading on France forum, I called the FT English line and signed up for a Holiday Home account with line rental at 32,00 per 2 months and Internet (Livebox) at 27,90 per month - both can be switched off at any time and we only pay for when it is on.    Switch off costs 4,69 euros each time and we are allowed 6 times per annum.    It is possible to switch off and on on the internet; alternatively this can be done by phone or by sending an email to [email protected] .

Good luck
J

Jaques W - Sadly this didn't work, but it would be ideal if an English link was available.  I find the vocab. for stuff like this a bit difficult!

Anyone discovered anything to make this task easier ??

Regards

Tegwini

ps I might also email my kind neighbour to ask her to check!

 

[JacquesW]

I signed up, in English, by telephone from the UK in March, about 10 days before we expected to be in France.  The Livebox was at La Poste when we went over to France on 1st April and installed with no problems.   When we left at the end of April, I suspended the phone using the Espace Client page on the internet and a few days after we returned I called the English speaking FT line to suspend the broadband connection.   Admittedly, this last call took a few attempts before I got through, but both the recent bills, from FT for the phone & from Orange for the broadband, have correctly reflected the suspension.

We are not going back now until the end of July and I will try to re-post in August - from France if my FT internet still works - on how easy or otherwise it proved to be to reconnect.

Like you, my French is not really up to it, but I have found the English speaking line is excellent when you can get through.

It does seem rather typically French that one can suspend the phone by internet, but one can only suspend the internet by phone doesn't it ?   Whatever, I am delighted with this solution so far.

[PeterCD]

Is it possible to suspend both the telephone line and broadband connection from the FT www?

[nikki]

Hi, I am wondering if you can help me. I am trying to suspend my french phone line and internet.

I have phoned the English speaking helpline only to be told that I

cannot suspend my phone line unless I go into a telecom shop in France

and register first providing evidence that it is only a holiday

residence. I was told at the same time that to suspend my internet , I

would need to write to them in Bordeaux.

Looking at JaquesW posting he seems to have done it without any of this. I

have tried to follow someone else's link for how to do it online but

never seem to get the options they refer to when I go on the France

telecom site.I'm afraid my french is very poor so I am afraid that if I

keep trying I will end up deleting or altering something vital and

generally mess things up

Any help would be very gratefully received

Thank you

Nikki

[tenniswitch]

Nikki, it sounds as if your abonnement is for a ligne residence primaire, not a ligne residence secondaire. The links for suspending service only appear for the residence secondaire abonnement.

Have you had the service for very long?

If not, I'd call the English line again and tell them that you were erroneously signed up for the wrong service. They should be able to fix this by telephone.