Fourwinds Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Trying to reach France Telecom to get phone connected. The English speaking service seems to impossible to through to and when I do I get passed onto my local office who speak no English. I have just about sussed out what I need and how much it will cost - it sound like 45 euros to connect the line if one is there already and then 13 euros each two months for line rental - does this sound about right?? and has anyone any ideas of a number I can call which will get answered within 2 hours!! I've been trying to sort this out for two weeks now and think there must be a better way. Also does anyone have any ideas how long it will take after I 'give them the order'?Please don't direct me to teh France Telecom website as that seems to be aimed at companies rather than consumers. I had rather naively thought I could do it on line!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 If you are close enough then I would go into the nearest office. If they don't speak English then you can still usually get what you want one way or another. We did that and even when we had a line fault and the engineer couldn't speak a word of English our very limited French, handsignals and pointing sorted it out. They were very helpfull.John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourwinds Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 That would work if I was in France but unfortunately I'm in the UK.Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham & Brenda Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 We are in Charente (16) and I have the number of a helpful France Telecom English speaker should your house happen to be in this area.The bi monthly charge sounds right - just watch out for all the add-ons they offer you and see if you really need them as they can add up.Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourwinds Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 The house is in the Vendee. My idea is that it will be cheaper to pay an annual line rental and then for calls as and when than the mobile bills I've been running up even on short visits when my husband stays at home. I'm also assuming that I will be able to take my laptop and check/send emails if I dial back to my bt anytime number?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre le Derriere Posted October 22, 2004 Share Posted October 22, 2004 Unless you are a fluent French speaker, I should forgot trying to organise your French telephone from the UK. As soon as you reach France, call at the nearest France Telecom office (most are in town centres or shopping centres eg., Geant) and within 48 hours you should be on line! This is assuming they don't have to dig up the road, of course. We have found the service to be marvelous. Our cottage is in the woods and miles from anywhere so mobiles don't work, we needed a landline quick and thought our remoteness would work against us. Fortunately there was an old redundant connection to the house. We arrived on the morning boat and visited the France Telecom shop in the afternoon, signed up for the basic service at 14.50euors a month plus the cost of calls; a one off connection charge at 46.12euros; bought a telephone for 50euros; and internet access for 5euros a month. A France Telecomm van and man turned up at 9am the next day and we were 'phoning the UK by 9.15am and e-mailing at 9.30am, less than 24 hours after arriving in France. The day after we got a letter from France Telcomm advising us that the line would be installed the previous day - obviously La Poste is not as quick as FT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourwinds Posted October 22, 2004 Author Share Posted October 22, 2004 Sounds like the kind of service I'm looking fopr!I finally got through to the Vendee office and it was all systems go but we got hung up on whether or not I knew teh previous owners twlwphone number. I have contacted the estate agent we bought though who is trying to contact them! There are slots on the wall which I assumed were telephone points but she tells me that these might have been put in when the house was built! I've jsut eben looking at photos of the house and can't see any cables going to it. Although its a hamlet there's a farm nearby which I know has a telephone. I'm going across on Tuesday to try and sort it out. Was your computer one from the UK?? Did you need to have any special connections/plugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charentefan Posted October 24, 2004 Share Posted October 24, 2004 hi folks - having spent this weekend researching Pay as you go mobiles in france with all the attendant problems of credit/numbers expiring, it seems that I will have to visit France Telecom and bite the bullet and get a landline.Our present system of using our UK mobiles is proving a great benefit to Orange profits. Does anyone know the cost when there was no previous installation? and can I really expect that the work could be done within our next two week visit in November. Many thanks JJPs it would also mean I could have a laptop!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourwinds Posted October 24, 2004 Author Share Posted October 24, 2004 Hi Join the club! I have also given up on mobile phone bills and trying to instal a landline - I'm going to France for 5 days on Tuesday so I will report back as soon as I return. I've been told its around 45 euros for the connection - another 48 euros if the 'man has to call' and then 13 euros every two months plus call costs. My problem has been getting through to POrtugal Telecom. I've held on for ages on their English speaking service only to be through to theblocal region where no-one speaks English. I speak some French but was a bit nervous to sign up over the phone just in case I wasn't totally understanding. AS I say I'll report back on my return next weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fitzsie Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 If you are having trouble with the French mobile system have a look at the webpage www.0044.co.uk.You are still billed in the UK but at least its a cheaper system on offer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fourwinds Posted November 1, 2004 Author Share Posted November 1, 2004 Getting there!!Well I can't believe how easy it was in the end. We went to the local France Telecom office and were signed up within 10 minutes. That was 3.30pm. Next morning we were 'live' by 9.30. There was already a line to the house which obviously helped. They were a bit unhelpful aboaut the internet as they wanted me to sign up to their offer which I didn't want to do at that point. They suggested that my computer wouldn't work almost to the point of saying I needed to buy a french one. As I've used my laptop all over the place that seemed a bit over teh top. I popped down to the Bricomarche and found an adaptor which will connect my computer connection to the french one. I'd forgotton the computer so wasn't able to check if this worked. I'm now about to try and work out the best way for internet access given that I'll only be there short periods. Unfortunatley I also omitted to pick up those free discs that you see everywhere in this country!!So any help in internet access will be much appreciated... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I1 Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 Fourwinds, you mention about a France Telecom English speaking service (which you say is impossible to get through to). I've been having a few problems with the quality of my line and when I get through to the normal 1013 service have language difficulites (which makes things harder rather than impossible).Do you have the number for this English Service as I might give it a go sometime.Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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