Mobiles

[james Mallett]

Can anyone tell me how I go about getting my English mobile phone chipped and what the tariffs are like please.

Its a standard Nokia Orange phone and the tariff I would need would be one where the phone was only used for emergencys and not every day use.

Thanks

DAWN

[Cat]

It kind of depends whether you are still in the UK or not. Assuming that your phone is over a year old, and not still on contract, the easiest (and by far the cheapest) way is to wander into your UK orange shop, and ask for a UK pay as you go SIM. You don't even need to get your phone chipped.  They will post you one within a month, and then you just phone orange to get the SIM enabled.

These work perfectly well here in france, with no risk of losing credit as you need only make one call in a six month period.  True the actual cost of any calls you do make will be higher, as you will keep your UK mobile number and so would be charged international rates, but if you really only plan on usung it a couple of times a month it is laughably cheap.

The other benefit of this is, if you plan on viewing UK TV here in france, you can call Sky on a genuine UK number if you have any satellite problems

(This mail should probably have been posted in the Satellite, Internet, TV forum).

 

Good luck

 

[Ecossais]

Dawn,

 

There was a discussion about this a week ago, have a look here, this should help you - http://forums.livingfrance.com/shwmessage.aspx?ForumID=290&MessageID=143091

 

If your mobile is network locked, you will need to get it unlocked / ‘chipped’ in order to use another network SIM.  The cheapest place to get this done is in a “back street” mobile shop.  If you ask in one of the multiples, someone will be able to point you in the right direction.

 

You can find info on the French PAYG network charges on their websites, eg www.orange.fr

or www.sfr.fr

 

Also on Carphone Warehouse’s French website -

 

SFR: http://www5.phonehouse.fr/commerce/servlet/frfr-knowledgebase-Show?ARTICLE=NETWORKS.SFR.LACARTE

 

Orange: http://www5.phonehouse.fr/commerce/servlet/frfr-knowledgebase-Show?ARTICLE=NETWORKS.ORANGE.MOBICART

 

 

[BJSLIV]

Dawn

The point the others are alluding to, is that French PAYG cards are all time restricted and the credit automatically expires after a set period. The more expensive cards have a longer period , typically 3 months before they expire. However it means that an emergency only card still costs the best part of 10 euros a month, even if you never need to use it. You either lose the balance altogether or end up making expensive mobile calls just to spend the credit.