Cheapest temporary Mobile in France?

Question

I will be in France for 1 month. What is the best company to get a sim card or a pay per use phone? I will only really need it for within the country.

Answer 1

http://www.mobalrental.com/

This company sells a global GSM phone with a SIM card.  You pay by the minute.  No minimum purchase.  No contract.

Answer 2

For one month, your best option is to go with Orange, SFR or Bouygues Telecom.  These are the three biggest in France.  Prices are mostly the same.  You will need a photo ID (passport) when you purchase.

I went with Orange.  If you already have a cell phone that will work in Europe (GSM standard and unlocked) the SIM card kit will cost 30 EUR and includes 4.50 EUR of airtime credit.  Prices per minute are a little steep (0.55 EUR/minute at peak hours) but they charge by the second, so no rounding up.  Text messages are 0.10-0.12 EUR per message.

And here's the best part: Incoming calls are always FREE!  I've received several international calls and am never charge for them.

Answer 3

all you need to do is contact your american cell phone provider.  get them to give you the unlock code for your american phone.  then you take your american phone (provided it is gsm compatible: ask first: if not, then you will need to get a new phone) to france with you and get a pre-paid sim card.  the company i like the most is orange but the pre-paid plans are all  basically the same.  you can go into one of MANY cell phone boutiques  all over paris and tell them you want a sim chip for a "forfait pré-payé." you can buy the recharge cards at any tabacco store or newspaper kiosk.

Answer 4

I use Breizh Mobile. You can buy it online from their web site. Last time I looked they were giving all new purchases of sim cards a free 10 euro top up.

It's much cheaper than the cartel by the big operators.

The only problem is that you have to buy the top ups online, unless you are in Britanny, as they are supposed to be a regional service.

I use it from Paris and haven't been to Britanny for years.

Just taken a look at their web site. The sim card is now 9.90, inlcuding 5 euros of credit.

The other alternative is Virgin Mobile. Their sim card costs 15 euros, including 5 euros of credit. The advantage is that you can buy credit top ups at any tobaconists.

Don't bother with the phone rental companies.