How to get a cell phone in France

Posted on by

Unlock your iphone and use it in France

If you are in France for long or short term, it is a good idea to think about getting a cell phone. Even for a trip of several weeks, it is useful to have a way for members of your group or people you meet to contact you. This way you don’t need to find a dirty phone booth or buy a phone card either.

For short term use, just go into any cell phone carrier boutique (Orange, Bouygues or SFR) and say “je voudrais acheter mobicarte.” Mobicarte is a pay as you go SIM card. It costs around 10 euros. If your current cell phone is unlocked, meaning it can work with any carrier, you can just buy a mobicarte SIM card and insert it into your current mobile phone. (See below for more information about unlocking phones.)The pay as you go cell phone, should you need it, can be as low as about 24 euros. The employee will show you which cell phones are sold with mobicarte.

Once you have purchased mobicarte, you then need to buy minutes. Orange has packages ranging from 5-100 euros. For 25 euros and up, a bonus of 5 to 50 euros is added free of charge depending on the amount purchased. For example, the 25 euro package (with a 5 euro bonus) is worth a little over 1 hour of calls within France or about 275 text messages. In France, your minutes only count when you are making the call. Thus, if someone calls you, your minutes are not used. Still, many people in France use text messages instead so as not to use up their cell phone minutes. Once you purchase the package, you are given a code which you must enter into your phone in order to register the minutes purchased. An employee can help you with this if needed. To recharge your minutes, simply purchase a prepaid card at any boutique of the carrier or any tabac and enter the code into your phone per the instructions.

If you have established a bank account in France and you are staying for a year or more, you are eligible to sign up for a contract, which is cheaper than a prepaid phone in the long run. Be aware that most carriers also require that you have your carte de séjour, so stick to a prepaid phone until you obtain this. If you brought your US phone to France and it is unlocked, you can use this phone.

If your phone is locked and you would still like to use it, such as the iphone 3, find a boutique with several cell phone carrier logos posted outside and a sign that says “déblocage.” Asking a mobile phone carrier or an Apple store employee to unblock your phone will only send you in circles (we found out the hard way). The process of unlocking the phone is under the table and will cost you about 20 euros cash. It consists of the specialist performing what is called a jailbreak and installing a program on your phone that changes its address in the settings so the phone can work with a different carrier. Then you are free to visit the phone company of your choice.

In France, a contract using your current cell phone is cheaper than a contract with a new one. Like in the US, a 24 month contract is cheaper than a 12 month contract. A 12 month contract with 2 hours of calls, unlimited texting (SMS en français), unlimited talk to 3 people (or after a certain time of day) and 500 Megs of internet per month will cost around 40 euros per month. Shop around Orange, SFR and Bouygues to find the best deal for you.

For international calls, you can buy a supplemental plan from your carrier, or you can buy a separate SIM card from an internet café such as Lebara mobile with a lower rate per minute. Happy texting!

© 2011 Pasa’s Paris

 

38 thoughts on “How to get a cell phone in France”

  2. This is the right blog for anyone who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic thats been written about for years. Great stuff, just great!

    Reply ↓

  3. Can they unlock the iPhone 4 that has been updated with 5.0.1 software??? I’ve been told its impossible. Which sucks because I need a phone here and I can’t use mine!!

    Reply ↓

  4. hi jessica i’m glad to hear from you about the cheapest way to communicate by means of freemobile . i’m one of your subscriber willing to have freemobile sim . i lived in paris at 15 arrondissement . please let me know all the necessary papers or requirements needed . ASAP thank so much Tess

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Tess,
      Thanks for your message. There is no paperwork, just sign up online, assuming you are in France (this service is available in France only): http://mobile.free.fr/
      If you already have freebox for TV and internet, click on “Abonnes Freebox 15.99/mo,” if you do not have freebox, click on “Vous n’etes pas abonnes Freebox, 19.99/mo”
      Enjoy!

      Reply ↓

  5. Hi Jessica
    My son bought a 2nd hand iPhone 4 in Antibes whilst on holiday in March, (from an SFR outlet) and it has an SFR sim card. (no contract) He has returned to South Africa and the phone is locked! He has spent days trying to find a way to unlock it. He doesnt speak french so calling SFR is pointless. We cant even find a number to call!? I’m now trying to help him. He has spent 30euros on an online unlock / jailbreak download which hasn’t worked. Someone mentioned the Gevey Sim, but not sure about that?

    Have you any advice or can you maybe give us an SFR customer care number to try, although doubt we will be able to communicate with them!??
    Thanks so much
    Lolly

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Lolly,

      Thanks for your comment. Wow, that sounds like a difficult situation. In France there are mobile phone stores which will unlock your phone for a fee. You may want to go into a phone store in South Africa to see if they can unlock it.

      Best,

      -Jessica

      Reply ↓

  6. Hi Jessica,
    Very helpful blog. I’m wondering – what part of the city would I be likely to find stores like you mentioned that would be able to unlock or deblock my iphone? I’m new to Paris (visited once 10 years ago) so I’m not sure where to go.
    Thanks!
    Lucy

    Reply ↓

  7. OK – as a follow-up to my last question – I have called AT&T and been able to unlock my iphone 3. Do you know if Orange or Free will insert the SIM for me or do I need to do it myself (in which case, do I need to ask for a SIM specifically for iphone or will and card work)?

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Lucy,
      Thanks for your comments. Free will send you a SIM card once you sign up online, so you can insert the SIM card yourself. The SIM card is formatted to fit your iphone. For Orange, you would buy in-store in which case they can install the SIM card for you. Hope this helps!
      -Jessica

      Reply ↓

      • Actually I called my provider and it turns out they *can’t* unlock it, apparently the person I spoke to yesterday gave me totally wrong information :-(

        So I guess I am still wondering what part of the city I should head to to find one of those stores with the déblocage service?

        Reply ↓

        • Hi Lucy,
          Any phone shop with multiple carrier logos displayed (Orange, Bouygues, SFR) will most likely be able to unlock your phone. Sometimes they will have a sign that says “deblockage” in the window. There are many phone shops on rue Ordener in the 18th or rue La Fayette in the 10th for example. Hope this helps.

          Reply ↓

  9. Hi Jessica! I’ll be going to France soon for a while and would like to take my phone with me since I have all my numbers in it. This might be a stupid question, but here in Ireland we have different plugs, you know those with the 3 pins, so will I be able to charge my phone once I’m over there? I guess I need to get an adapter if I can find one, but will it be working and will I still be able to access my phonebook? I’m with vodafone at the moment, it’s a very basic one…

    Reply ↓

  10. Hello ,
    I am in the us and would like to buy an unlocked cell phone to use in France but I don’t know witch one to buy,I am scare it won’t work in France …..Would you have any clue .
    I am looking to buy th samsung S5830 galaxy ace .
    thanks

    Reply ↓

  11. Hi Jessica, thanks for writing so extensively on this topic! It is tres helpful.

    I’m visiting Paris for 3 months need a phone for texting in France only. I’m wondering if you could recommend the cheapest route to go in terms of a phone and pay-as-you-go plan.

    I’m thinking of getting an older unlocked cell phone from eBay for around $20 before I leave and bringing it. Do you know anyone who has done that successfully? And if I did that, could I bring it to Paris, buy/pop in the mobicarte, get a Lebara pay as you go plan, and start texting?

    Thanks so much! I really appreciate your helpfulness and friendliness on this topic. Hope you are enjoying your time in France. :)

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Lisa,
      Thanks for your comment. As long as the phone is unlocked, you can use any carrier you like. You could definitely use Lebara, offered at many phone boutiques all over Paris. Just look for the sign or sticker in the window. Other carriers such as Orange and SFR also offer text-only pay as you go options. Refills are even available at checkout stands in grocery stores.

      All the best,

      Jessica

      Reply ↓

  13. Hi again Jessica, I’m now interested in getting a data plan included in my pay as you go text plan. Is it difficult to do that?

    Once again, thank you so much! I really appreciate being able to ask you my questions. I’m able to plan this out so much more effectively and will probably save some money too as a result. :)

    Reply ↓

  14. Hi Jessica,

    Iv been using a Leclerc pay as you go mobile since arriving in France a year or so ago but it is on its last legs. I have been looking into a contract but am aghast at the prices! Therefor your hint at the FreeMobile €20 a month has interested me, but I need to get a new handset too, can you suggest a good place to find one? I have had a look on the Free website but again can’t believe the prices. I have an old uk phone, I suppose I could get this unlocked?

    Thanks so much for your help, kind regards,

    Louise

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Louise,
      I’ve never purchased a handset in France. Maybe a local mobile phone boutique would sell them? Yes, your phone needs to be unlocked if it is locked, which can be done at most local mobile phone boutiques. Look for a sign that says “debloquage.”

      Best,
      -Jessica

      Reply ↓

      • Great thanks Jessica, just one more thing. The sim card with Free for €20 a month, is that a contract, with a monthly direct debit payment? and how long do you have to commit for?

        Thank you,

        Louise

        Reply ↓

        • Hi Louise,
          The Free 20 euro per month plan is not a contract- you can cancel at any time by sending them a letter. The bill is debited from your account automatically each month.
          Best,
          Jessica

          Reply ↓

  15. Hi Jessica.

    Thanks so much for taking the time to steer everyone in the right direction! You’re doing a great service. I’m going to Cannes at the end of the week and will be there for 10 days. I’m needing data, voice and sms on my phone while I’m over there. Do you know if any of the SIM card carriers (Orange maybe?) provide all 3 features short-term?

    Many thanks!
    Danny
    Dallas, Texas

    Reply ↓

    • Hi Danny,
      Thanks for your comment. The only pre-paid options I know of are just for calls and texting, not data. You can check with Orange, SFR and Bouygues. Maybe someone else knows of another option?
      Have fun in Cannes!
      -Jessica

      Reply ↓

  16. Hi Jessica,

    I am about to leave for France for three months (this coming Saturday!) and I am sort of overwhelmed when it comes to figuring out my phone options. I have Verizon in the States, so I could theoretically purchase an international plan (right?) but I know it would be extortionate. So, my next thought is to have my IPhone 4S unlocked before I leave (supposedly it can be done) and to purchase a French SIM card. From what you’ve written here, it’s clear that with a French SIM card would not provide data, just calling and texting. So here is my question. What is my best/cheapest bet for the following:

    Unlimited calling and texting: French and International.

    I’m sorry this is so rambling. Thank you so much in advance!!!

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>