MOBILE PHONE SERVICES

France has 3 main mobile service providers, all of which have some basic information in English on their websites:

• Orange
• SFR
• Bouyges Télécom

For short visits, a pay-as-you-go French SIM card is a good option. But if you intend to spend more than 3 months a year in France, it is worth subscribing to a pay-monthly plan (abonnement).

French mobile service providers use a GSM network, so all GSM-compatible phones should work in France. CDMA phones used in North America and parts of Asia will not work in France.

If you have a GSM phone and want to keep your current operator, you need a French telephone number to avoid paying international rates. You can replace your SIM card and obtain a French number in a telephone shop.

When choosing a pricing plan (forfait), it is best to opt for one that gives you more minutes than you may expect to use, as service providers charge heavily for minutes used beyond what you've been allotted (hors forfait). If you find yourself with far more time than you need at the end of the month, you can always switch to a less expensive package.