Le French Mobile

Becca - I just ordered and received a SIM card (from Le French Mobile) to use in my phone when we go to France next month. I haven't called with it yet (as you can't use it until you're in Europe), but the initial setup/phone install was easy and straightforward. HTH!

Hi Kathi,
I'm glad to hear of someone else at least going for it! It looks like it's really easy, which is what is so attractive to me about it. I hope it works well for you!

Haven't used it but I did walk into SFR last month and bought a chip/sim card and unlimited texting and calls for ten days and was on line within one minute. ATT gave me the instructions on how to unlock my US phone and it all worked. I also bought a chip for my husband and his phone worked immediately too. I'm not sure why people reported horrible difficuties. BTW, unlimited credit for ten days was ten euros.

Wow, Bets! Thanks for the information! Maybe I'm making it out to be more difficult than it needs to be. Did you happen to notice if there was option for data? I'm going to use more data and less talk/text, I think.

This is where my experience may be irrelevant for you. I use my phone only for calls and texts, no data at all. We have a lot of family and friends in France so use the phone for contact. I get my sightseeing and other info on my iPad via wifi before stepping out, and also use the iPad for skype calls to the States via
I can't speak about credit for data, but for calls and text, it was simple. Additionally, the price has plummeted since last year due to some new laws and competition. Why don't you see what is available on the FNAC website? They have an English portal. They carry all the brands and sell chips, minutes, data packs, so you can compare.

Thanks for the details, Bets! I didn't realize you could buy the cards at FNAC. That's good to know, I was also wondering how one finds these mobile device stores. I'll check out FNAC and see. I'm also just a tich nervous about doing it all without my tech-savvy husband, but I really should get over that. Thanks!

Becca, FNAC does not have cell phone recharges on line, so I can't give you a comparable price. Also the only English website they have is for the ticketing service for shows, museums, etc. So I've gone directly to SFR. They have the ten euro unlimited text and call recharge on line, the one I bought. They also have a 20 euro unlimited calls and texts within France plus 300 mo of data that's good for one month. Here's the link:
http://www.sfr.fr/mobile/offres-detail/prepaid_la_carte?vue=000029 Being fairly inept with data, I don't know what mo stands for, but it's probably the capacity.

French abbreviations:
mo = megabyte go = gigabyte Becca: Here is a page from Prepaid GSM, my go-to source for the kind of information you seek. http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/france.php. It has the main French providers, an English-language summary of the plans (link labeled "Current Offer"), and links to the providers' own pages so you get more information (you may need Google Translate). That page has the logos for Orange, SFR, and Bouygues Telecom (the three main French providers). You will see stores with these logos all over French cities (just like the Verizon or T-Mobile stores in the US). There are also stores, like FNAC or The Phone House, selling multiple providers (like Best Buy does in the US). The France forum on Prepaid GSM is a great place to get more information. Be aware that discussions there can get very technical, so don't be afraid to ask for clarification: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/france/

Thank you Bets and Harold! I'm combing through the sites now. With any luck, I'll get this figured out quickly so I can focus on the more fun planning! :)