Using mobile phones abroad advice, and operator recommendations

Norman Potting · Aug 7, 2016

Currently in France and unable to use any of our 4 mobiles ranking from Mrs. P's ancient Samsung phone, my Motorola G and the junior Pottings iPhones. This despite having set up everything in advance with our provider (Utility Warehouse) and following their advice re switching off, removing and replacing SIM and restarting - various French networks appear but we cannot connect to them and keep getting timed out (Brexit related maybe

). Email ping pong is taking place with their tecchie chaps but so far to no avail. At least we can still use them for photos and surfing the net (not on 3 or 4G I hasten to add).

Whilst I am the first to admit that this is very much a "first world problem" it is somewhat annoying. Any bright ideas and any recommendations as to a reliable and good value SIM only operator that is reliable for use abroad as I am thinking of changing on our return.

Over to you Sages of the board......

Springal · Aug 7, 2016

Vodafone have always worked for me. £3 a day in EU, £5 rest of world to use my allowance as I would at home. I e calls, data etc.

3 also allow this abroad in certain countries for free I believe but always steered clear of 3

theboybilly · Aug 7, 2016

Can you op into a Carrefour or Super U supermarket and buy a French provider's pay-as-you-go simcard? That's what I was advised to do but I've never got round to it. I just look out for free wifi in public places and have a break from phoning home etc. Everything can wait until I get home just like it always used to be before mobiles

studio150 · Aug 7, 2016

If you can access and use wifi why not just use whatsapp

Boys 9d · Aug 7, 2016

My son recently contacted me from Mexico when I was at home because we both use Whats App and he found somewhere there he could use local Wi Fi. It should be easier in France which has good Wi Fi coverage.

severnside gull · Aug 7, 2016

theboybilly said:
Can you op into a Carrefour or Super U supermarket and buy a French provider's pay-as-you-go simcard? That's what I was advised to do but I've never got round to it. I just look out for free wifi in public places and have a break from phoning home etc. Everything can wait until I get home just like it always used to be before mobiles

May be wrong but I've a feeling you have to be domiciled with a French address before you can get a SIM.
I use 3 network so get all calls in most European countries plus USA and Hong Kong within my UK allowance. Can sometimes be an unaccountable delay in connectivity. Sometimes not. All rather random. :shrug:

Thunder Bolt · Aug 7, 2016

My other half is on 3 so uses his phone as normal, but I am with Virgin (who twin up with Orange), and have no problem using my phone in Europe. I just turn off data roaming, but calls and texts are absolutely fine. The prices have come down immensely from 25p a text to just 5p now.
Next year, I believe, most networks will be like 3, as I don't think Brexit has affected the agreements.

scooter1 · Aug 7, 2016

We're with Tesco and this summer they are offering your included data texts and minutes, Europe wide. I suspect this will be opened up for longer, but it s currently their summer promo. They are affiliated to O2

murciagull · Aug 7, 2016

I sell sim cards in Spain and you do not need to live here to buy one, you should be able to buy on in France and register it with your passport number.

Superseagull · Aug 7, 2016

severnside gull said:
May be wrong but I've a feeling you have to be domiciled with a French address before you can get a SIM.
I use 3 network so get all calls in most European countries plus USA and Hong Kong within my UK allowance. :

Yea that was certainly the case a few years back when I got a French Orange mifi with data sim. You could also only top up using a land line phone which was a bit odd. Think it may be a bit easier these days but I have never seen PAYG SIM cards in French supermarkets like you do in the UK.

These days I just use a Three PAYG sim in France. No problems at all and at UK rates. Coverage is not so great in rural parts but that is the same for all networks.

saafend_seagull · Aug 7, 2016

Just use 3 mobile, the 3G is then free in France!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Two Professors · Aug 7, 2016

scooter1 said:
We're with Tesco and this summer they are offering your included data texts and minutes, Europe wide. I suspect this will be opened up for longer, but it s currently their summer promo. They are affiliated to O2

My sis-in-law had nothing but trouble trying to get anything from her Tesco fone in France this summer.My Vodaphone was fine as usual,but the only other strong signal we could find in rural Vendee was Orange France.No problems with connecting or being non-domicile,and home site was in 4 languages,including ours!

Norman Potting · Aug 8, 2016

Thanks for the tip - drove past your profile photo last week. Wonder what the residents of that Rue are like?

Icy Gull · Aug 8, 2016

O2 have a bolt on package at charge of £1.69 plus vat per day for up to 120 mins talk time and also include 3G but not sure how much is included in the daily rate.

Le French Mobile will send a sim card to you home in the UK, again you can get a 3G bundle but the sim only will mean calls around Europe (both incoming and outgoing) at .20 cents a minute or part minute.

Edit just seen that you are already in France so option 2 will not be of any use to you.

supaseagull · Aug 8, 2016

I have EE and the signal is good but the web is very expensive. My mate and his family had 3 and cheap/free internet connection as Spain is in the EU.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Captain Sensible · Aug 8, 2016

saafend_seagull said:
Just use 3 mobile, the 3G is then free in France!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This

Notters · Aug 8, 2016

What the hell is Utility Warehouse? Never heard of it. Never had any problems with O2 in France, in fact probably a better service than here.

saafend_seagull said:
Just use 3 mobile, the 3G is then free in France!

True but my wife's wouldn't work half the time.

dazzer6666 · Aug 8, 2016

International bolt-on with O2 is £1.99 a day in the EU, always seems good value to me. Have never exceeded any limits so I just leave roaming on all the time.

Norman Potting · Jul 10, 2017

A quick bounce of this one, am off to the Vendee in a couple of weeks and wonder if the sages of the board have any further to offer regarding this subject please so I can travel prepared and hopefully avoid last year's issues. An extra sim in the dual sim slot perhaps but which one

Herr Tubthumper · Jul 10, 2017

Norman Potting said:
A quick bounce of this one, am off to the Vendee in a couple of weeks and wonder if the sages of the board have any further to offer regarding this subject please so I can travel prepared and hopefully avoid last year's issues. An extra sim in the dual sim slot perhaps but which one

Vendee is in France so you can just use your phone/UK Sim like you do at home now

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40281013

I don't think you'll need to do anything now...but best check with your provider in case you need to tell them or do something else.

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Using mobile phones abroad advice, and operator recommendations

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