# Data SIMs in France



## Canalsman (Jan 8, 2020)

This information I found helpful:









						Buying a Sim Card in France in 2022
					

Looking to buy a France prepaid sim card? Curious where to buy a sim card for tourists in Paris? I compared all the options and will give you the best buy!




					www.traveltomtom.net
				




I note that Free have outlets called 'Borne interactive' which appear to have SIM vending machines!

Great idea ...


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## Biggarmac (Jan 8, 2020)

Free.fr SIMs can be bought in the bournes in larger Tabacs.  They need a French address, but that is unverified.


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## jagmanx (Jan 9, 2020)

The other option is
1 to get a Wi-fi / USB aerial for £15 or so
This will usually allow you to see either an Orange signal or better SFR
£30 for one month unlimited but not 100% coverage also only suitable for a laptop !
Depends on so many things but worked very well for us 1 summer in France (only)...before I got a smartphone to tether to


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## in h (Jan 9, 2020)

POI Admin said:


> This information I found helpful:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Much more expensive than taking a prepaid sim from the UK. Or taking two from the UK.


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## TJBi (Jan 9, 2020)

jagmanx said:


> The other option is
> 1 to get a Wi-fi / USB aerial for £15 or so
> This will usually allow you to see either an Orange signal or better SFR
> £30 for one month unlimited but not 100% coverage also only suitable for a laptop !
> Depends on so many things but worked very well for us 1 summer in France (only)...before I got a smartphone to tether to


Interested to know why you say "or better SFR" as I have generally found Orange to be present in many more places than SFR, particularly in rural locations.


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## jagmanx (Jan 10, 2020)

Maybe a few years back for me.
These days I use phone and data sim..
Depends how much data you need.
I have mainly downloaded poi data..so only email and some sports browsing
No films or youtube !


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## trevskoda (Jan 10, 2020)

jagmanx said:


> The other option is
> 1 to get a Wi-fi / USB aerial for £15 or so
> This will usually allow you to see either an Orange signal or better SFR
> £30 for one month unlimited but not 100% coverage also only suitable for a laptop !
> Depends on so many things but worked very well for us 1 summer in France (only)...before I got a smartphone to tether to


ORANGE told me there closing down the service and i had to change provider


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## in h (Jan 10, 2020)

TJBi said:


> Interested to know why you say "or better SFR" as I have generally found Orange to be present in many more places than SFR, particularly in rural locations.


I could Orange to be very slow in France. Plenty of signal, terrible data speeds. SFR or Free were better. That was over a year ago, though. May have changed.


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## jagmanx (Jan 10, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> ORANGE told me there closing down the service and i had to change provider


Not really a surprise with 4G and now 5G...why have 2 systems when one will do both jobs and has taken over


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## TJBi (Jan 10, 2020)

in h said:


> I could Orange to be very slow in France. Plenty of signal, terrible data speeds. SFR or Free were better. That was over a year ago, though. May have changed.


Was that mobile signal or the Wi-Fi signals to which I (and I believe jagmanx) referred?


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## in h (Jan 10, 2020)

TJBi said:


> Was that mobile signal or the Wi-Fi signals to which I (and I believe jagmanx) referred?


Sorry, mobile signals. I've never found WiFi to be worth bothering with. Always very slow and of questionable security. 
I keep meaning to take the high gain WiFi antenna off the roof.


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