It is now easier than ever to stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues
at home while traveling in France with a cell
phone.
To use a cell phone in France you need a GSM capable phone and a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card. If you travel frequently and wish to keep your regular cell phone number when abroad, it might be best to purchase a phone that supports both your home country and the French GSM frequencies. Nearly all telephone service providers in the United States sell phones that support both their local cellular networks and GMS. Cingular and T-Mobile offer the best choices.
For the best deal, rent or purchase a French GSM phone that functions not only in France, but also in many other countries in the world and uses a "pre-paid" SIM card. SIM cards are conveniently sold just about everywhere (e.g. tobacco shops, magazine stands, etc.) so you do not need to worry about running out of talk-time. Once your card is empty, simply buy a new one. If you are using a local number for the phone, incoming calls are not a problem. They are all free, regardless of their origin. The main disadvantage of this solution is that people from your home country will have to dial an international number to reach you.
A little more about GSM technology:
GSM technology is used in over 200 countries and principalities. Four frequencies are used for GSM wireless services worldwide. GSM phones have radio transmitter-receivers that work on either one frequency (single-band), or on more than one frequency (multi-band). In France, you will want a phone that supports the 900/1800Mhz frequencies. Many cellular phone providers offer quad-band phones supporting 850/900/1800/1900 MHz. If you have a dual or tri-band phone, make sure it will work in France.
Regional GSM Frequencies:
-
Europe/Asia Pacific 900/1800MHz
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North America 850/1900MHz
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Caribbean/South America 900/1800/1900 MHz
Vendors Offering International Cellular Phones
(for Lease or Purchase)
Aside from price, service and reputation, the main difference between the companies below is that some offer a local French phone number with lower phone charges and free incoming calls, whereas others offer a Country of Residence number with higher charges (a lot higher) but with the added convenience that people at home can phone you without dialing a foreign country phone number. The vendors below are listed for your convenience only. FrenchFriends.info does not endorse any of them.
Review of Large Cellular Phone Providers
As mentioned above, if you want the convenience of using the same cellular phone you use everyday at home when traveling to France, make sure you purchase a phone that supports the French GSM frequencies (900/1800) from Cingular or T-Mobile. When using your local provider abroad you will have roaming charges and more expensive phone charges, but your phone number will be from your country of residence. We offer the following as a review of some of the larger providers. FrenchFriends.info does not endorse any of these companies. They are listed and reviewed for your benefit.
Cingular World (Recently purchased AT&T): Cingular has a good offer and
selection of phones. Their prices are completive amongst the larger carriers. If
your current phone does not support French-GSM, they also offer a rental service.
T-Mobile International Services: T-Mobile has a pretty good offer and selection of phones. Their prices are completive amongst the larger carriers. They also offer a rental service (T-Mobile rentals) if your phone does not support French-GSM.
Sprint: Sprint is practical only if you already use Sprint with a Quad band phone. Their prices are average and phone selection is limited. They too, have a rental offer.
Verizon International GSM Phone Rental: Verizon is only practical only if you already use Verizon. You are allowed one number, but it can be expensive to maintain all year. Their prices are average and the phone selection is limited. They also offer a rentals.
Please, as with all of our articles, if you have any direct experience with this topic, do share. Have you ever rented or used a cell phone in France? If so, how did it go? If you have tried or can recommend other providers/methods, please leave a comment and let us know. Bon voyage!