Hello! We arrived in France two days ago and I cannot call locally. I’ve been on the phone 3 times with AT&T and no one seems to solve our problem.
Is there anything you do to successfully call locally in France?
Maybe give an example with calling a number such as this: +33 8 20 00 74 98.
Thank you!
Copied from another Rick Steves thread:
However, perhaps a better approach would be to use the international dialing format for France, +33 followed by the last 9 digits of the local number, omitting the leading 0. Dialing and saving numbers this way will automatically connect you no matter from where you are dialing.
We have the AT&T day plan. Three calls to AT&T and no help so far.
We have tried these combos of calling:
+33….(this got us a call fail)
+011 00 33…. (This got us a French error message)
In Rick's Paris and France guidebooks, he has a whole section on calling in France. It's complicated.
+33 8 20 00 74 98
If this number, dialed this way, is not working for you, you have a problem with AT&T. This number may also be dialed, from within France, 08 20 00 74 98
+011 00 33…. (This got us a French error message)
011 33….(French error message)
The plus (+) replaces your needing to dial 0 then the country code.
Any number from France starting with 01 is automatically sent to a Paris exchange, as all landline calls with the 01 prefix are Paris (Ile de France) numbers. For example, 01 23 45 67 89.
Should you want to dial a US number, use either +1 area code 7 digit number or 001 area code 7 digit number. For example, +1 201 456 7890 or 001 201 456 7890
French numbers stored in a mobile phone with the + 33 (no leading zero) with 9 following numbers format may be dialed from anywhere on the globe. They will work, including from within France.
US numbers stored in a mobile phone with the +1 area code, 7-digit number format will also connect no matter from where they are dialed.
Tocard is correct. Dialing the number as +33 then the 9 digit number (the 10 digit number local French number WITHOUT the initial zero) should work from any cell phone.
However, sometimes cell phones have settings to "make international calls easier" which actually make it more confusing, at least to me. For instance, they may put in the +, or the country code. I don't know AT&T or your individual phone, but see if you can find a menu on the phone that has some kind of "international call simplifier," and turn it off. Then retry dialing it the way Tocard wrote.
French phone numbers are actually some of the simpler ones around. All French phone numbers have 10 digits, always starting with 0. The second digit tells you the region or type of phone (4 for southeast France, 6 for cell phones, etc), but doesn't change how the number is dialed.
1) From any French phone (land line or cell phone) to any French phone, just dial all ten digits starting with the 0.
2) From any other cell phone, dial +33, then the French phone number omitting the initial zero (so 9 digits instead of 10).
3) From a land line in another country, dial the international access code (011 in North America, 00 in most European countries). Then dial 33 and then the French phone number omitting the initial zero (so 9 digits instead of 10).
Again, if this isn't working, something's wrong with your set up. The only exception I can think of is that some numbers starting with 08 are toll numbers, which may not work from "abroad" like the US. (This is similar to how you can't always dial US based 800 numbers from abroad.) Remember your AT&T account is a bubble of the US no matter where you are.
kerouac2 has the simplest plan, in my opinion.
AT&T is an irritating service, almost unusable in many places. It's simple to just subscribe to their day plan, fork over $10 per day, and call it good, until something goes wrong. Other US carriers are not much better.
The Orange plan (available at the link above) essentially makes your phone into a French phone, and calls and cellular data become simple. The 20GB offered on the Orange Plan link is more than enough for a 3 to 4 week visit, calls are clean and crisp, and everything works the way it should.
Yes, it involves replacing your SIM with an Orange SIM card, and if your phone only has one SIM port, you won't have your American number to use. However, if you have an iPhone 10 or later, your phone has 2 SIMs, one actual and one virtual. You may be able to have two lines on your phone in that case, retaining one of your SIMs as your current cell line and the other as your Orange SIM. Check it out.
Please note that the above idea is only an option if your phone is unlocked.
Have you turned off data roaming and wifi
Two things to check.
is roaming turned on?
Try toggling dial assist on or off and dial again. On iPhone it’s nested under
Settings>>>phone>>>dial assist
Do you mean do we have data roaming on? Isn’t it supposed to be on?
On my phones, I have to positively check to make sure roaming is on.
Nothing suggested here has worked. :( I’ve now spoken with 4 AT&T reps. I hope to find an Orange store tomorrow because this is crazy.
Go online and make an appointment at an Orange store. It will be crazier than usual the Saturday before Christmas. Or get there before they open. Or try Free or Bouygues, too.
thaxton.jill - You have stated that you cannot successfully call locally; can you call internationally or make any type of call at all? If you cannot, is your phone connecting to any local network? If not, the next step would be to confirm your phone's APN settings.
The best solution might be to dump AT&T and follow kerouac´s advice by stopping by an Orange boutique and purchasing an Orange plan. The worst that will happen is you´ll likely save money and your phone will work (as long as it is not locked to AT&T).
I can call to the US with no problem. I can also text a +33 number.
I plan on stopping by Orange today. However, how can I found out if my phone is locked to only AT&T?
how can I found out if my phone is locked to only AT&T?
Take out the AT&T SIM and insert a SIM from any other company, i.e. Orange, Bouygues, SFR, or FREE. If your phone is locked to AT&T, it should display locked or some other nomenclature indicating it will only function with an AT&T SIM.
If you can make international calls and text anywhere, but cannot connect local calls, and I assume you have already confirmed with AT&T you have correct APN settings, it will be very interesting to see if Orange can get your phone working.
Hmmmm, this is bizarre - as you mention being able to text French numbers and call internationally.
Use skype to make the call. The day plan has data so that's what I would do instead of getting the orange holiday plan.
Have you tried 003820007498?
+33820007498 should work so if it isn't, it's probably an AT&T problem or a phone settings problem.
I think our problem is solved. Our tour guide today called my number and it seemed to trigger that I was in France! I can dial out as normal now. Yay!!
Hooray !!!
