If you decide to use a French mobile, the most obvious question is which company offers the best deal. The proposals are very complex and not easy to compare. However, there are some basic points you need to consider for choosing the right deal.
Coverage: All providers offer pretty much the same level of coverage. Only if you are going to be living in a remote place or regularly using the mobile while travelling in the countryside, this can make a difference. Ask local people or check with the operators. There you can find more about the coverage in your area (in French: couverture or réseaux) on the operators' websites or on this website .
Phones: The prices of a new phone depend on the retailer and the operator. Each operator sells phones in its own retail outlets, but prices tend to be better in other shops (the large retail chains, such as Carrefour or Auchan often offer good deals). There are also specialist retailers, as well as the chains:
Fees, rates and various services: Unless you have a doctorate in nuclear physics, understanding the pricing plans of the various providers can be a challenge. Each operator offers several different options. Calling plans are complex and built to confuse, making direct comparison practically impossible.
When you consider different options, you should ask yourself:
If you are a little bit confused, you can always go to a specialist mobile retailer and ask questions. The staff will be quicker to work out what is best for you - they will obviously be keen to sell as well, so don't be afraid to say you will think about it. There are also some websites on the internet to compare different phone contracts, for example www.edcom.fr .
Similar to other European countries, you can pay for your calls in two different ways: prepaid or contract.
Prepaid (pré-payés, sans engagement, formules à rechargement): With prepaid phones, you have maximum flexibility since 'you pay as you go', which means you pay in advance for credits which you use afterwards for your calls. You can be called for many months (depending on the provider) without any payment. When you need credit you simply buy recharge cards (cartes pré-payés) that are widely available in newspaper kiosks, tobacco products retailers and online.
The operators tend to make their rates difficult to understand and choosing one is not easy. To choose a prepaid card, take into consideration the points above and the following characteristics:
Contract (forfait, abonnements):The other option available is to sign a contract. Besides delaying payment until the end of the month, the benefits of a contract are lower calling rates (quite significantly in some cases) and much better deals on the purchase of new phones (which are sometimes given even for free). When evaluating which plan is best for you, be sure to read all the other conditions.
Besides the general points above, there are some things you should aditionally consider when choosing a contract:
Contracts are fairly easy to obtain on an individual basis. There are no credit checks nor do you need to provide proof of income. All mobile companies require direct debits (prélevement automatique) from your bank account. Many new arrivals start with a prepaid phone and then convert to a contract when they have sorted out the paperwork