France

Introduction
There are 4 'physical' network operators in France (listed according to number of subscribers) :


 * Orange (by France Télécom)


 * SFR (by Numericable)


 * Bouygues Télecom


 * Free Mobile (by Iliad)

Other providers are virtual mobile operators (MVNO) based on the Orange, SFR or Bouygues Télécom networks.

3G Coverage
In France, the marketing word "3G" should be regarded as the following technologies: UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+ and DC-HSPA+.all on 900 and 2100 Mhz. Under no circumstance, HSPA+ or DC-HSPA+ is advertised as "4G" as it may happens in some countries.

According to the telecom authority (l'arcep), Orange and SFR cover more than 98% of the population, Bouygues is nearly at 95% and Free Mobile at about 75% of the population (not counting the roaming agreement with Orange). In practice, France has a 3G coverage in urban areas and most parts of the countryside. Some rural places with few inhabitants may only have EDGE.

Up to date coverage maps in 2G, 3G and 4G provided by the network operators can be found here: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécomand Free Mobile.

4G/LTE coverage and accessibility
The 4 operators have are rolling out their 4G/LTE nationwide. Orange and SFR use LTE bands on 800 MHz in the countryside and on 2600 MHz in the cities. Bouygues was granted permission in 2012 to "refarm" it's 1800 MHz 2G network into a 4G LTE network. Bouygues runs now on 1800 Mhz, 2600 Mhz additionally. Free only covers the some cities on 2600 Mhz. Bouygues and Orange have the best LTE coverage at around 80%, while SFR and free are below 40%.

Orange and SFR do not allow access to their new 4G LTE networks to prepaid customers yet, however they all offer rolling contracts which can be cancelled at free will. Bouygues has opened all its prepaid tariffs to 4G without surchage and free markets 4G heavily.

SIM card activation
Activating a SIM card on a network can take up to 48 hours. You will need photo ID to activate SIMs in France, as it is a legal requirement. A passport or driving licence usually suffice.

Rolling Contracts
This French particularity called "forfait sans engagement" = rolling contract or auto-renewing monthly offer is prevalent in the following articles and needs some explanation for non-French visitors. A rolling contract is a kind of hybrid tariff between pre- and postpaid: You pay in advance and have cost control like prepay, but you have to enable an automatically recurring payment. This can be linked e.g. to a French bank account or an international credit card. But the contract can be terminated at any time by free will.

These rolling contracts normally give you a much better rate for data in France than regular prepaid cards. The problem is the payment system which is often not accessible for foreigners without French credit cards or bank accounts. To draw a line here, offers which are confirmed to have been purchased at least by any non-French payment system are shown while other companies like B&You, Simyo or Sosh requiring French-only requisites are taken off the list. Please have this in mind, when you add an offer, that it needs to be accessible for foreigners too.

Summary of Networks
Operators on this page are strictly listed in alphabetical order (A-Z). No preference is made to their network status or size. This is to allow an impartial guide. To make it easier to find the right network on this page below is a summary of all the operators on this page (in alphabetical order).
 * 1) Bienvenue Telecom - Wi-Fi hotspot rental service
 * 2) Bouygues Télécom - Pay-as-you-go offer
 * 3) Cellhire - Wi-Fi hotspot rental service
 * 4) Data-Roam - Prepaid SIM Card Rental
 * 5) Free Mobile - Rolling contract
 * 6) Joe Mobile - Rolling Contract
 * 7) Le French Mobile - Pay-as-you-go offer
 * 8) Lebara mobile - Pay-as-you-go offer
 * 9) Lycamobile - Pay-as-you-go offer
 * 10) Moxx - WI-Fi hotspot rental service
 * 11) My Phone In Paris - Smartphone rental service (only in Paris)
 * 12) Orange - Pay-as-you-go offer
 * 13) SFR - Pay-as-you-go offer and Rolling Contract
 * 14) Travel Wifi - Wi-Fi hotspot rental service

Description
Bienvenue provides telecom services for travelers in France, through a high speed Wi-Fi connection for up to 10 devices starting at 5 euros a day.

miniBox (aka Mi-Fi)
Via a miniBox small enough to fit in your pocket, Bienvenue ensures a quality LTE connection in France. The miniBox is delivered within three hours anywhere in Paris, in two days anywhere in France. After the rental, simply drop it in the mail to return.


 * Standard delivery charges: € 6
 * Express delivery charges: € 9
 * Internet plan comes with a fair usage allowance of 1 GB per day. Beyond this limit you can still use the service without any additional fees but it will be throttled.
 * the miniBox has a minimum autonomy of 6 hours in intensive use.

More information
Bienvenue has a partnership with Bouygues Télécom and uses their network in 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE. For coverage information, please refer to Bouygues below.
 * Website: http://bienvenuetele.com

Bouygues Télécom
Bouygues Télécom is the 3rd largest network operator in France. Unlike the other players, its 4G/LTE is mainly on 1800 Mhz, 2600 Mhz and 800Mhz which is open for all prepaid users without surcharge. In 2015 it has the best 4G coverage in the country: coverage map Their prepaid card Formule 20/20 has been discontimued in January 2015. They now only sell Card XL and Classique prepaid SIMs. The classic line doesn't include data.

Prepaid Card XL

Their prepaid line is available in their stores (store locator) with 12 months validity after the last top-up in these starter packs: All packages include 4G/LTE speed, unlimited domestic calls and domestic texts. The bonus credit can be used for international calling. No French bank account required. international credit card works fine. When topped up after the validity of the old package has expired, the new top up will be effective right away giving more validity. So you can topup 4 times 2 € for 2 days each and get 2 GB data for 8 € in a week.
 * 2 €: including; unlimited domestic text and voice, 500 MB data and 1 € for international calls, valid for 2 days
 * 10 €: including: unlimited domestic text and voice, 500 MB data and 5 € for International calls, valid for 10 days
 * 20 €: including unlimited domestic text and voice, 500 MB data and 10 € for international calls, valid for 30 days

They give a bonus of 10 € for top-ups of more then 50 € within two consecutive months.

Tablet plans

They have data SIMs for tablets on rolling contracts but you need to have a French credit card or bank account to charge it up. Formule Touristes In 2014 Bouygues Télécom started their tourist SIM called "Fomule Touristes". It's not clear if this offer will be available in 2015 again. It comprises of a SIM card valid for 7 days sold for 19.99 EUR preloaded with:
 * 300 MB of data (up to 4G)
 * unlimted domestic voice, texts and MMS
 * 4 (rest of the world) to 12 (within the EU) minutes of international calls

More Info
 * APN: mmsbouygtel.com (this is for web too, not only MMS)


 * Website in French only

Cellhire
Cellhire.co.uk offers an international data SIM with MiFi for France and most other countries around the world.
 * Cellhire offer a 10 GB French data SIM card with MiFi, 3G and 4G data available on a 30 day rolling contract on the Orange network.
 * When the 10 GB bundle runs out, the speed may reduce but you can continue to use data at no charge.
 * A 3G MiFi device and 10 GB of data is included for the monthly rental fee of £74.99. A daily rate of £8.99 is available for shorter trips.
 * You need to pay one month in advance as a refundable deposit.
 * 4G coverage is limited and isn't available everywhere in France.
 * Delivery is available to a UK and EU address. The £15 (UK) or £30 (EU) delivery charge includes return delivery.
 * The 30 day rolling contract will continue until you return the SIM and MiFi.

dataroam
Dataroam.co.uk provides an international SIM card rental service in France (as well as many other countries).

The data SIM card can be sent to an UK or French address. You will need to provide proof of ID and the SIM card needs to be returned to conclude the rental contract.
 * They sell a French 30 Day data SIM card for £49.99 (56.99€) which gives 3GB of data  for a period of 30 days on a rolling contact basis on the Orange network. There is an additional £10 (€10.14) set up fee. The 3 GB plan cannot be used in a smartphone (without heavy surcharges).
 * Also have similar packages for iPhone (£49.99 per 30 days) and Blackberry (£29.99 per 30 days) which include minutes and texts.

Free Mobile
Free Mobile shook the French market when it arrived on the scene in early 2012 by very low prices and new marketing methods.

Coverage
Free Mobile is the smallest network and still in the process of building up : as of January 2015, the 3G coverage is above 75% of population whereas all of its other competitors cover 98+% of population. But as Free Mobile both uses the Orange network as a roaming network for 3G data, texts and voice and its own, the service is equal to Orange's and 3G speed is reported to be even faster than their competitors.

Free Mobile also offers 4G/LTE, but their network is the smallest right now with a low coverage (~50% of population). Take care: in their offers, you have plenty of data on their 4G plan, which is only activated if a 4G LTE2600 enabled device is detected, if not you will only have 3 GB of data. Free mobile is not roaming on the 4G LTE network from Orange, roaming only applies to their 2G and 3G networks.

Free Mobile owns a 15 Mhz band of 2600 MHz spectrum, allowing a theoretical 4G speed of 150Mbps with compatible devices (LTE cat4). Download speed of 140+ Mbps have been reported.

To cut a long story short: Free Mobile is a very good option if you have a LTE 2600 MHz enabled device, if not their 3G plan is not so cheap.

Rolling Contract offer
Free Mobile offers only one 1 month rolling contract ("forfait sans engagement") for 19.99 EUR per month. It includes:


 * unlimited calls to France and landlines of lot of countries and mobile lines of a few countries;


 * unlimited SMS to France from France and from the EU;


 * unlimited MMS in France;


 * 3 GB of data in 3G (Orange roaming + Free Mobile network);


 * or 20 GB of data in 3G (Orange roaming + Free Mobile network) and 4G (Free Mobile network) if a compatible 4G device is detected (you can check the effective data allowance in your account);
 * automatic connection to EAP-SIM wifi networks "Freewifi_Secure", emitted by all the set top box of the operator (more than 5M hotspots);
 * if you keep the contract running during 60+ days : unlimited calls + texts (to France and the country visited), and 3GB of 3G data (debited from your national allowance) from these foreign countries : Belgium, Spain, UK, Germany, Austria, Greece, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, the French West Indies and French Guiana (35 days per calendar annum per country).

Tethering is allowed. The SIM comes ready for all phones/dongles (Micro + Mini). A Nano SIM is on offer when you order online or within stores.

Free Mobile mobile is a contract without commitment : no fines for cancelling early and no activation fees. All credit/debit cards, not limited to French issued ones, should function fine - though this is contested by some forum users. (Automatic direct debit on a French bank account is also possible, as well as some other countries).

Starting from late august 2014, it is also possible to buy a 1-month only (not rolling) SIM from their ATM (see below), so you won't have to worry about cancellation after your leave !

You have basically 2 way to get these SIMs :
 * They can be ordered online to be sent to a French postal address, or at brick and mortar locations which can be found in Paris (@ Metro Madeleine) and other locations throughout France called "Free Centers". Default online payment is with bank account details. To pay by debit card, under ' paiement de votre commande ' on the right hand side, under the box there is a link which says "payer par carte bancaire". It will then change the box to one that allows you to enter the details of any card. Your bank may charge a transaction fee for using this.
 * Free provides also a SIM distribution circuit trough completely automated machines located both in their "Free center" stores and "Mag press" shops (map). You just need a debit card to use them, and you can get SIM within 2 minutes, very conveniently. There is an additional fee of 10€ to cover SIM issue charge and ATM maintenance though. More than 898 machines are available as of January 2015. Be sure to get the correct SIM for your phone because reissuing the SIM costs 5€.

More Info

 * APN: free
 * Website in French only

Joe Mobile
Joe Mobile is a MVNO venture owned by SFR, the 2nd largest network provider (see SFR), though the network name displayed on your phone will be "Joe".

Joe Mobile is a cheap solution if you want to use a lot of data and stay in touch with other countries. Everything is to be done online. Despite it's not the main objective of the brand, Joe Mobile is a well designed solution for short-term travellers holding a Western European credit card (see below).

Rolling Contract offer
The Joe Mobile offer is prepaid with auto-renewing from months to months but no commitment.The offer is designed to be customised. For 5 EUR per month, you get: Data can be added in these denominations: Access to SFR's 4G/LTE network can be added for a flat 4 EUR extra per month.
 * 2 hours voice within France
 * unlimited domestic SMS and MMS
 * 100 MB of 3G data
 * 250 MB @ 3G for 3 EUR extra
 * 1 GB @ 3G for 6 EUR extra
 * 2 GB @ 3G for 10 EUR extra

A 4G LTE package offer is also available for 20/26/30€ :


 * unlimited domestic and 40 international destinations voice
 * unlimited domestic SMS and MMS


 * 3GB / 5GB/ 7GB of 4G LTE data in France
 * 10 days of voice, SMS/MMS and data roaming (3G only) in Europe for free that could be extended at an additional cost per day

Online you can put in your plan whatever you need. There is a switch on the "cockpit" (client admin website) to turn it "on" or "off" for auto-renewing the next month. Super easy. This means it's very convenient to use it just for one month and stop it then. The offers could be stopped/paused/restarted/changed at anytime with immediate effect. Only if you pause/stop more than 6 months, the SIM card is cancelled and you have to order a new one.

The SIM card cost 1 euro and is available in nano/micro/full size and can be ordered only online. Then you add the prepaid formula you want. SIM card delivery is only possible to a French postal address. They accept hotel addresses too.

Here is the catch: The only way to pay is by a credit card from France or its neighbouring countries: UK, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Spain or the Netherlands. This card is needed even if you don't top up or are not using auto-renew.

HOWEVER: If you use EntroPay from Visa, which allows you to get a temporary local UK credit card number, you are able to circumvent this issue. (Tried and tested using an American Visa card)

Tethering was successfully tested from iPhone or Android smartphones. VoIP is allowed.

Affiliate Program
You can order your SIM card from an existing member and get the SIM card for free (instead of 1€) plus a 5€ credit. The member also receive 5€. Delivery takes about 2 to 3 days to a French postal address. Here are links. (Contributors to this page are encouraged to add additional links —alpha order— for a healthier proposition. Readers are encouraged to pick a link randomly) Link 2: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=freddeeer Link 3: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=iGuillaume Link 4: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=koesie Link 5: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=liorophir Link 6: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=niiiico Link 7: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=PeterPlets Link 8: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=volkerg
 * Link 1: https://www.joemobile.fr/invitation?membre=Duster

More info

 * APN: sl2sfr
 * Tethering APN: websfr
 * Website in French only
 * Discussion of the offer in English

LeFrenchMobile
LeFrenchMobile managed by the Transatel group runs on the good Orange network on 2G and 3G but not 4G/LTE and it's an MVNO designed for foreigners travelling to France. Its customer service is in English, Arabic and French. Their website is also available in Russian, Japanese and German.

Availability
The SIM cards are available in 3 types (Nano as well as a combined Normal/Micro SIM). Furthermore it is possible to buy 3G USB dongles and Wifi hotspots such as AutoBox and HomeBox with SIM cards included.

Purchase online via their website. Delivery is free within the European Union and € 2 to the rest of the world. Payments can be made with any international Visa or MasterCard. Top-up online through the website.

Data SIM
Their Data SIM can be used in tablets, smartphones and laptops. Purchase price for the SIM is €15 with 200MB included valid for 30 days or €30 with 1GB included valid for 30 days. These following top ups are available:

Euro SIM
EuroSIM is available for calls, texts and internet data. Purchase price is €40 with the same credit included or €20 with €15 credit included.

Top-up online or in Tabac shops and newsagents that sell PaySafeCards. A bonus credit is given to any online top-up over €25.

If your monthly credit consumption is under €10 or 30MB there is a monthly recurring credit deduction of €1.40. Credit for the EuroSIM has no expiry date.

These following data packages are available (for domestic use in France): Default data outside of packages in France is €0.32 per MB. To activate a data bundle text one of the codes above to 22213.

Technical settings


 * APN (for Data SIM): mobiledata
 * APN (for Euro SIM): netgprs.com
 * Username and password: tsl

Additional Information


 * SIM cards have a 'Refer a Friend' scheme which can get an existing client and a new client credit € 20 bonus credit to share. To do this send an email with both names and numbers to info@lefrenchmobile.com within 14 days of the sale of the new SIM card
 * Though their prices may be higher than SIM cards bought within the country, their products can be ordered from overseas and will be delivered already activated to any foreign postal address. Arriving in France, they can be used right away without having to activate them.
 * Available to purchase in British Pounds (without foreign transaction fees) on eBay

Lebara Mobile
Lebara mobile is a British-based MVNO with operations in several countries. In France, they resell Bouygues Télécom's service in 2G and 3G only. The website and customer service are available for a change in both French and English, making it a good choice for those with limited French language skills.

Start up
Lebara mobile SIM cards can be ordered free of charge through  Lebara's website, mailed to a French postal, address. Some users report that after a delay of 1-2 weeks, they will be mailed to a foreign address, if it is typed into the online form. Alternatively, they can be purchased for 10 EUR (including 5 EUR of credit) from many French  tabacs (tobacconists and kiosks), including the Relay outlets for instance at Charles de Gaulle airport. Print-your-own Eurostar tickets include a voucher for a free sim with €1 of credit and 100 MB in a couple of shops at the Gare du Nord station. R echarges are available through the same channels,or by international credit card online. The SIM is a dual-cut standard and micro SIM, nano SIMs are available on request. Credit lasts from 30-90 days depending top-up amount. SIM cards that have not been used or topped up for 90 days will expire.

Activation
New SIM cards must be activated by providing a mail address, phone number, and ID number (e.g passport). Foreign details are OK. SIM cards ordered online and received in the mail will be pre-activated as the phone company has these details from the online form. SIMs bought from a shop can be activated by calling 2333 from your phone.This activation should be instant. You can select English on the voice menu (option 2). When you activate your SIM you are requested for your name, passport number and address. You can ask on the same call to buy your data package or any additional asistance.

Data feature packages
These monthly packages are on offer: All packages renew automatically if there is credit. To stop, send *STOP to 22241. Default data rate outside packages is 0.15 EUR per MB.

When adding funds to the account, among the "free bonuses" is data
 * top up of €10 = 100 MB free
 * top up of €20  or more = 1GB free

Technical Settings

 * APN: fr.lebara.mobi
 * User: wap
 * Password: 1234

More info

 * Check credit balance and data allowance *133#
 * Support 2300 (Option 2 on voice menu for English)
 * Website switch to English on top left

Lycamobile
Lycamobile is the biggest competitor of Lebara (see above) on the ethno market from Britain. It has a very similar prepaid offer like Lebara and acts as a MVNO on Bouygues Télécom's network in 2G and 3G too. The website and customer service are available in both French and English, making it a good choice for those with limited French language skills.

Start up
Lycamobile SIM cards can be ordered free of charge through  Lycamobile's website, mailed to a French postal, address. Alternatively, they can be purchased from many French  tabacs (tobacconists and kiosks) and chain stores including Relay, Monoprix, Carrefour and others (store locator). R echarges are available through the same channels,or by international credit card online by entering *131*#. The SIM is a dual-cut standard and micro SIM, nano SIMs are available on request. Credit lasts from 30-90 days depending top-up amount. SIM cards that have not been used or topped up for 90 days will expire.

New SIM cards must be activated by calling 323 (in French) from your phone or online here (in English) providing a mail address, phone number, and ID number (e.g passport).

Data feature packages
Default data rate outside of packages is 0.09 EUR per MB.

Technical Settings

 * APN: data.lycamobile.fr
 * User: lmfr (that's lowercase L, not capital i)
 * Password: plus

More info

 * Check credit balance and data allowance *131#
 * Support: 322 (0.15 EUR/min), in English 9 am - 9 pm (- 6 pm on weekends)
 * It does not seem possible to tether with Android. Not even with a rooted phone! It must be said that Lycamobile is a strictly "for your smartphone" sort of service. Forget trying to make it work with your computer. You will waste time and money.
 * Website switch to English on top left "Langue"

MOXX


Moxx rents out mobile wifi hotspots (4G mifi) on a short term basis for travellers in France (for 3 days to 6 months) with internet access. Their mifi is only 9 * 6 cm of size and allows to connect up to 10 devices.

Order process
You can order online via www.moxx.fr for a flat rate at 7.99 € per rental day. Delivery is by mail within France, takes up to three days and is free if you book for at least one week, otherwise 14 €, by courier within Paris for 7 € or by express within France for 24 €. Return is by mail in an insured, prepaid and registered envelope..

Connection
Moxx connection uses the network of Bouygues Télécom (coverage see above) in up to 4G where available and allows VoIP. Their "unlimited" internet has a Fair Use Policy of 10 GB (for the rental period?) after which speed will be throttled. All liability for the device (set at 150 €) is on side of the renter.

More information
https://www.moxx.fr

My Phone in Paris
My Phone in Paris is a smartphone rental solution that includes unlimited phone calls (France and international, mobile and landlines, incl. Europe, US, Canada and China), unlimited text messages, unlimited internet, a wise selection of great apps (GPS, travel guides, communication, social networks, etc.) and exclusive deals.

More info: http://www.myphoneinparis.com/
 * 15€ per day, no extra fee ncluding free delivery in Paris

Orange
Orange S.A., formerly France Télécom S.A. is a French multinational telecommunications corporation. Back in history, France Telecom was the French public operator. Nowadays its still the market leader with the best coverage and most subcribers. 4G/LTE is accessible for Let's Go, but not for Mobicarte (see below).

Mobicarte
This is the Orange prepaid SIM card that allows making calls, sending SMS and some internet usage in 2G and 3G.

You can buy Orange prepaid Mobicarte SIM online from sites like http://mobipassport.com or velonomad.com, but this this can be more expensive, but you get your number before you depart and your card activated to use your service as soon as you arrive.

To buy a SIM from an Orange Boutique  (store locator) in France, you must bring your drivers license or passport to register. The bonus of that is that the card will work straight away. If you buy from anywhere else, you will have to send in a copy of your ID and it can take several days to be able to access data.

Dialing #123# for the first time presents you a menu of options on the Welcome / Information ("Accueil") screen. Here you'll see some options with offers, an entry to access a sort of account overview / usage ("suivi conso"), one to enter Mobicarte ticket codes called recharges ("recharger"), and finally where you manage your account's features ("Mon espace"). If you don't know French, it can be a bit daunting as it seems every menu presents options you can purchase. It is definitely over-complicated, just as every French site / online service I've ever used. To add credit to your SIM, buy one of the classic recharge vouchers "Les recharges classiques" from a tabac shop, magazine shop, or grocery store (the big ones like Monoprix, Franprix, etc. should have them). These are common everywhere, including airports & train stations (at CDG international terminal, you can buy them at the Relay newspaper stand at the RER-B station). To add credit, dial #123# then find the "recharger" option and enter the 14-digit code.

Default Data rate
Without a data plan, Internet is extremely expensive at 50 cents per minute.

Data Speeds
Orange restricts the maximum speed attainable on Mobicarte to 384 kbps downstream. If high speeds are important to you, it may be better to look at SFR. It's important to note that Orange's prepaid mobile broadband offer ("Let's Go") does not have this limitation and allows 4G/LTE access.

Data feature packages
If you plan on going to a Boutique to buy a SIM, you can purchases these packs there too. I recommend you load the recharge options page on your phone beforehand so you can show them exactly what you want. Some stores have employees who are not familiar with the packs or may not even know that data is available for pre-paid so it is helpful to show them the site, particularly if your French is not very good.

Les recharges max
All free calls, SMS and MMS are domestic.

Les recharges internet mobile

 * 5 EUR: 150 MB in one week
 * 10 EUR: 500 MB in two weeks

You can buy several at a time and enter a new code to re-enable the feature once the old one expires.

Mobicarte Holiday
For visitors Orange offers its "Mobicarte Holiday". It is sold for 39.99 EUR and valid for 14 days including
 * 2 hours of global international calls to anywhere in Europe
 * 1000 international SMS from anywhere in Europe
 * 1 GB data within France
 * Unlimited Orange WiFi

Restrictions
This data plan is for mobile phones and may or may not work on other gear. If you're interested in data for a WIFI hotspot or dongle, you would be better off with the Let's Go option (see below). P2P, VoIP and USENET are specifically banned. VOIP services will fail to initialize properly. There's risk getting your plan cancelled as well as the loss of any call credit remaining on your account if you use P2P, VOIP, or USENET services.

As for VPN, it may or may not work. There are examples when VPN worked, one of them is OpenVPN 2.1.1 under Windows 7. VPN on iPhone worked in July 2012.

Supposedly you are to be notified by sms as soon as it is activated but I have never received this in the 5 years I've had my SIM. The safest way to confirm an option is active is by looking at your account online .

Expiration
MobiCarte SIM card credits expire after some time if no recharge is applied during that period. After registering your SIM for the first time and topping it up with credits, the SIM number will stay in operation for 6 months. You can check the expiration date online when you create an account, but you will probably also get an SMS stating the expiration date. If you'd like to keep your number active, add a small amount of credit before the expiration date and it'll be extended another 6 months.

Expiration of recharge credits depends on the amount. Also, recharge codes have a time limit before they must be used. For example, 10€ electronic recharge should be activated (i.e. added to account) within 15 days of purchase.

SIM Sizes
Full, micro, nano SIM.

Tethering
Tethering / WIFI-hotspot is not included in data usage (tested on iPhone and Android Galaxy 4S). iPhone will NOT allow tethering, and you are redirected to a purchase page (25€ for 1GB, 30 days) if you try to enable it. The page must be accessed over cellular and not WIFI.

It is possible to achieve tethering on Android by using the wifi hotspot in conjunction with a proxy app, e.g. Proxy Server by Ice Cold Apps. The use of a 3rd party tethering app on an Android phone, or a jailbroken iPhone may just get you around this.

Let's Go ( = Data Only Sim) Orange_Lets_Go_Voucher.png
Let's Go is a data-SIM only offering from Orange France. It is designed for use in an  tablet, portable wifi hotspot (MiFi) or USB dongle. SIM cards are available from Orange Boutiques throughout France (locator above). Just ask for the 'Pochette prêt à surfer'. They will want to know what device you will use it in and what size you require. The SIM costs € 9.90 and includes 500 MB of data valid for one month. At the time of purchase in the boutique, you will need to provide a passport or driving licence which is a requirement under French law. It takes on average 24 hours to fully update the system with your details and during that time you will not be able to top up. However the original 500 MB will work as soon as you walk out of the shop.

Unlike Mobicard, with Let's go Orange lets you join their 4G/LTE network with high speed.

Data feature packages
There are various values of top ups (recharge):

To obtain this top up you must again visit the Orange Boutique and ask for a rechargement por Let's Go sim. There may be some faffing about whilst they work out amongst themselves exactly what you want, but show them your SIM or documentation with your Orange internet number and they will soon get there. Often they will print out a sheet of paper for you which contains a telephone number for you to ring  to activate the top up and a 14 digit top up number. It is possible to activate your top up online, but only after you have topped up by telephone once. Crazy, but that's how it is.

You can also topup at Tabacs that have the Orange sign. In this case you DON'T want a Mobicarte topup. If you do not wish to top up by visiting the Orange shop, then you become limited to topping up your account using vouchers for the standard PAYG telephone service called Mobicarte. You can then convert the account balance online to Let's Go packages. The Orange site is far from user friendly so I do not recommend this route unless you are well versed in French. Let's Go top ups are often avalable on eBay and may well prove to be a good option for you to save messing about in shops upon arrival. But you will pay a premium for this option in so much as you will be paying extra for the time of the seller to obtain the vouchers etc. Note, you can also buy pre-activated Let's Go SIM's on eBay.

Restrictions
The Let's Go SIM does not allow the use of VoIP , Peer to Peer downloads eg. Torrents, or the use of some binary newsgroups . However for email, browsing and almost everything else it works just fine. You can receive SMS to your SIM which can be viewed in the control panel for your device, but the option to send SMS will not be available.

Domino 3G Key
Orange sells it's own portable 3G wifi hotspot called a Domino. Currently it is a Huawei E5331. This allows you to set up wifi for multiple device, ie. get around the issue of not being able to tether with the Mobicarte, and means you don't need to set up data service on your phone. Cost: 44.90 EUR for the device + 500 MB valid for a month  Recharge options with "Let's Go" vouchers. It seems the SIM card stays valid for one year, vs. 6 months for the Mobicarte.

Authentication: the blurb inside says you need to provide authentication, ie. fill in a form and send a photocopy of a passport to Orange. If you buy from an Orange boutique, they should activate it for you. If you get it from elsewhere then you will have to mail off copies of your ID docs.

This device is locked to Orange France and won't be of much use elsewhere unless you get it unlocked, but for less than one euro you wil be able to purchase a unlock code on Ebay.

Topping Up
In order to top up by phone, call 0800&#x20;224 from a mobile or landline. Free from Orange lines, a small fee may be charged from others.

You will be immediately asked by a female voice in French to enter your Orange number. This is the telephone number assigned to your SIM and normally begins with 06 or 07.

You will then be presented with two options, the first to top up by credit card. Ignore this, the second option is to top up using voucher. Press 2 on your keypad. The same voice will ask you for your 14 digit voucher number. Enter that and depending on which service you got connected to, you may have the number read back to you with the option to confirm or try again.

You will then have a confirmation in the same voice but with a triumphant timbre to it. The process should take about 30 seconds from start to finish.

The top up should then be applied to your SIM and you will be ready to go.

Orange personal account
You will automatically have an account created for you on the Orange.fr website, you can log into your account using the SIM telephone number. Once done, you can edit your personal information, email address etc. You can even set up an Orange France email address if you like. It is important to note that you cannot top up online using a credit card that is not registered in France. But you can buy top ups in the boutique using foreign cards. You cannot currently top up a Let's Go SIM at an ATM. Tabacs (French newsagent/cafes) often sell only Mobicarte top ups, but I am yet to find one that sells Let's Go vouchers. I am sure this will change over time.

Technical Settings
APN, Password and Username: orange

SFR
SFR is the 2nd largest network in France and the biggest rival of Orange. It used to belong to Vivendi, but has been sold to the cable company Numericable. It has good coverage nationwide in 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE similar to Orange. SFR is the local partner of Vodafone in France. 4G/LTE is not accessible for prepaid yet, but only to rolling contracts.

La Carte
Their prepaid SIM is simply called la Carte. The starter pack called “Kit SFR la Carte” is available online to be send to a French postal address or at their shops (shop locator). The start-up price has been reduced to 1.99 EUR, but it comes without credit in regular, micro or nano size.

When you buy it in their shops, let them activate it there showing your photo ID. Bought online or at other shops, you can activate it on their website or by calling 963 for free (in French).

Recharges can be bought at many places like bureaux de tabac, Relay and big chains like Auchan, Carrefour, Leclers, FNAC. They can be bought online too, but you need at least an European credit card with a chip for payment. For an English recharge menu call 958. But it’s best to purchase your recharges at the top-up terminals in some SFR shops. Otherwise it may take up to 24 hours until the recharge actually is activated.

Recharges Ilimitées
These recharge packs all include domestic calls, unlimited domestic SMS, a data quota and unlimited SFR Wifi

Recharges Internet
Only one package is offered for data-only: Data is cut off when quota is reached. Speed is 3G up to DC-HSPA (42 Mbps). No 4G/LTE.
 * 9 EUR including 1 GB in 7 days.

Welcome Carte
Like Orange and Bouygues, they have a tourist SIM for visitors. It’s sold for 15 EUR (plus 1.99 EUR for the card), is valid for 10 days and preloaded with: All the recharges whether Ilimitées, Internet or Welcome can be renewed anytime to get more data or validity. No tethering or use in modems allowed, strictly for smartphones. The free Wifi must be subscribed once by calling 963 for free.
 * 1 hour of voice to France and Europe
 * 500 SMS to France and Europe
 * 500 MB of data
 * Unlimited SFR Wifi

Prepaid data-only SIM
SFR offers a prepaid data-only SIM for tablets and modems too. The starter kit is called “Kit prêt à surfer SIM standard”. It only comes in regular size SIM, but these can be cut. It’s sold for 9.90 EUR with 200 MB valid for 15 days.

It can be recharged with the “SFR Connecté Partout prepayée” vouchers: These recharges must be bought in the shops and loaded on the card on your SFR account online. Speed is up to DC-HSPA and 42 Mbps in 3G. Data is cut off when reached quota.
 * 3 EUR: 200 MB, 1 day
 * 9 EUR: 1 GB, 7 days
 * 30 EUR: 4 GB, 30 days

Rolling Contracts
SFR also offers “forfaits sans engagement” = rolling contracts (see introduction) for data in modems, routers or tablets. Unlike prepaid, they have access to 4G/LTE with speeds up to 115 Mbps. Free unlimited Wifi is included after calling 963.

The starter pack for “SFR Connecté Partout forfait sans engagement” is sold for 1 EUR only in their stores, when you make the rolling contract. You can add one of these three packages: For those planning on making short trips to other EU countries from France (or visiting overseas departments of France from the mainland) but don't want to bother with getting local SIM cards every time, SFR offers three options:
 * 1 GB – 7.99 EUR per month
 * 5 GB – 14.99 EUR per month
 * 12 GB – 24.99 EUR per month.
 * 500 MB - 5 EUR daily or 8.99 EUR weekly
 * 1 GB - 14.99 EUR weekly

The problem is like always that SFR likes to see a French credit card or bank account linked to it, though some SFR shops are willing to mark your payment method as "other" to allow you to come in and pay by cash or credit card in person. With international cards they accept at least American Express credit cards on your name as a confirmed payment method. If you only have a Visa or MasterCard from out of the country, your only option is to pay in store; for foreign cards paying over the phone is only possible with AmEx and not at all online.

Cancellation is not as easy as previously said; it is not possible online, you must call SFR customer service at 1023 (domestic landline or SFR mobile) or +33610001023 (from overseas). Wait for two French voice prompts, press 3 for tablets/mobile internet, press 4 for termination, press 2 to be directed to a SFR customer service person (whose English ability will be hit or miss). The cancellation process should take less than an hour, though instead of cancelling straight away the line will be set to automatically cancel in the next few days. It is advised to provide your address overseas as any refund of excess charges will be mailed in the form of a cheque. The dedicated English-language customer service line is only for La Carte customers.

More info

 * APN: sl2sfr /or/  slsfr /or/ wapsfr /or/ websfr  - (if one does not work, try another)
 * English speaking customer service: 1026 available Mon-Sat 8-20 hrs (for la Carte only)

Travel Wifi
Travel Wifi rents personal Wifi hotspots (also called Mifi) giving up to 4G speed connection on the Bouygues Télécom network (for coverage see above). It is a small device that fits in your pocket with automatic connectivity and English speaking support services. Here is Travel Wifi's presentation video: youtube.com/watch?v=kI82CPh7KoI

Rental
To rent your mobile hotspot, log onto their website and book it with a few clicks. The hotspot is delivered via standard mail in France or courier services inside of Paris to any French address (hotel, rental flat or house...). Clients can also choose to pick up their device at Travel Wifi's office in Paris city center. Once you have received your hotspot, the connection is absolutely unlimited in up to 4G speed! Take it in your pocket wherever you go during your visit day. The Wifi signal can be shared with up to 10 devices at the same time. The return is very easy in a provided prepaid envelope, that you just drop in any mailbox.

Rates
They have charges according to the rental duration: For 3 days, the price is 10€/day. A week is 8€/day going down to 7€/day for 20 days, 6€/day for 30 days or longer.