Dongling in France

[jaffasdad]

I know that using my laptop in France will be expensive if I use my dongle. Is it possible to buy one over there or would I just need to buy a SIM card, as some people do for their mobile phones?

Any advice re the above gratefully received, including ease of purchase, costs, etc. (Please assume that you are explaining it to a complete idiot.)

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[AndrewWimborne]

Hi. Martyn Lewis did a session on mobiles abroad etc on Radio 2 a few weeks ago.

He said on no account use a UK dongle abroad or it will cost you a fortune.

I am sure he said to go into a Hypermarket and buy a French network dongle and then the charges would ok.

If I am wrong I am sure I will be corrected but I am sure that is what he said.

Regards

Andrew

 

[Guest]

As of 1st July the EU put a cap on all roaming charges including data charges. The new capped price for data is a maximum of 1 Euro per megabyte.

Text max is 11 euro cents

Outgoing call 43 euro cents per minute

Receiving call 19 cents per minuts

I believe there were also moves whereby you get charged by the second and not for a full minute if the call is very brief. Need to check that one.

Some networks still offer better contract roaming deals.

But with the capping everyone should be aware of maximum costs and companies are to advise by text if your roaming bill starts to get to high I read.

 

[ScouseIan]

1 euro per meg does not sound a lot, but it still is. Most people won't know how to switch off things like 'automatic updates' to windows. What if your laptop decides to download an update thats 100mb. You won't even know its done it and its cost you 100 euros then.

A reasonable price for a megabyte is 1 and a half pence. (Vodafone top up and go

 

[Reg]

I always use my Orange phone connected to a laptop when abroad and was under the impression that I was paying

 

[Reg]

Yup I've just found it and it's

 

[Reg]

Just stumbled upon this web site

http://www.mobilemeg.com/
Claims to have all the prices etc....

 

[Reg]

The more I look into this I cannot find anywhere that states it's one euro.Mb.

This is on the Asda website

http://www.asda-mobile.com/?node_id=1.4
Quote "Using your ASDA Mobile abroad (Roaming)

Thanks to our network partner Vodafone, your ASDA Mobile will work in many countries around the work. You will be able to call and text and send picture messages or browse the internet.

From the 1st July 2009, using your mobile in the EU will get much cheaper. Calls back to the UK or other EU countries will be just 35p/min and 15p/min to receive. Texts will be just 11p each and FREE to receive. The mobile internet will be just

 

[jaffasdad]

Just to pick up on Andrew's post, does anyone out there have any experience of buying a French dongle (no suggestive comments, please) or SIM card? If so, how much were they and what was the coverage like?

Thanks for all info so far.

 

[Reg]

Hi Ron

As you may have gathered I also have a need for internet access when in France but it may not be so straightforward. I came across this web site which might throw some light on it.

http://corner-cupboard.blogspot.com/2009/06/dongling-in-la-france-profonde.html
I also need access in Germany and can buy a Fonic sim card which allows occasional use for _0.24 per MB. You can make calls to any EU landline for 9ct per minute.

You can get the Fonic card _10 at a LIDL supermarket.

It does seem that the UK suppliers just haven't got their heads around the 1 euro/Mb. Is there a cartel going on I wonder?

Hope this helps

Reg

 

[jaffasdad]

Hi Ron

As you may have gathered I also have a need for internet access when in France but it may not be so straightforward. I came across this web site which might throw some light on it.

http://corner-cupboard.blogspot.com/2009/06/dongling-in-la-france-profonde.html
I also need access in Germany and can buy a Fonic sim card which allows occasional use for _0.24 per MB. You can make calls to any EU landline for 9ct per minute.

You can get the Fonic card _10 at a LIDL supermarket.

It does seem that the UK suppliers just haven't got their heads around the 1 euro/Mb. Is there a cartel going on I wonder?

Hope this helps

Reg

Thanks Reg. Having read the article I think it will be simpler and cheaper to look for sites with free WiFi or to use the libraries. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future it will bcome easier and cheaper to get roaming access.

Thanks again,

Ron.