A very nice person has lent me her Orange Mobicarte (SIM card for cell phone) to take to France. I found this web page that breaks down the calling rates and has information on recharging.
But I have a question about the times shown for various recharge amounts. Here is an example: € 5.00/5.00 (7 days+1 month) € 10.00/10.00 (15 days+6 months) € 15.00/15.00 (1+6 months) € 25.00/30.00 (2+6 months)
Does that mean that if you recharge for 5 euro, the card will expire after 7 days and 1 month? And what does the 1+6 months, 2+6 months mean? If it means one day, it seems that you are getting less time for 15 euro than for 10 euro.
Hi Roz. I think the first time period is how long you have to spend your euros on calling, and the second is how long before the number expires. So 15€ will last one month, and then the number will expire in 6 months if the card is not recharged. I hope someone can verify this for you. Have a great trip!
Aloha, Ann
Posts: 1612 | Location: Sunset Beach (Haleiwa), Hawaii, USA | Registered: 16 September 2001
Thank you, Ann ... that makes sense now. French cell phone calls are a lot more expensive than Italy, aren't they? If I am reading that chart correctly, a basic call with Orange (in France) costs 55 euro cents a minute, whereas with TIM it is 19 cents for calls within Italy.
Since the roaming rate is 55 cents in the EU, it seems it would hardly cost any more (except for incoming calls) to use a TIM card in France.
I'm sure Ann is right. Of course, the recharge won't necessarily last for the whole period of validity (number of days). You could use it up in one day with a lot of calls.
Roz, I'm guessing you plan to buy time in the form of a coupon de recharge, available from Orange shops and some other merchants, the number of which then must be entered over the phone, rather than totally over the phone, entering credit card information. I'm not sure (maybe someone else knows) whether an Orange SIM card can be paid for over the phone with any credit card, or only with the credit card used when the SIM card was purchased.
I'm guessing you plan to buy time in the form of a coupon de recharge, available from Orange shops and some other merchants, the number of which then must be entered over the phone
Right ... I was going to find a shop where I could buy a recharge card. If it's like the TIM cards I've used in Italy, you just scratch off the coating to reveal the "secret code number," which you can then text to some number to add time.
I'm not sure (maybe someone else knows) whether an Orange SIM card can be paid for over the phone with any credit card, or only with the credit card used when the SIM card was purchased.
It doesn't have to be the original credit card. This is a SIM Frank and I purchased in Paris last year, and this is its third trip back to France since, each with different travelers who have recharged it! As long as it doesn't expire, the phone # stays good so people can leave a contact number before leaving home.
Recharge cards can be purchased at most major supermarkets. You just pay for the amount of recharge you require and you'll be given a receipt with a recharge code printed on it. All you have to do is ring 224(?) on your phone and input the code.
s
Posts: 69 | Location: Sydney, Australia | Registered: 29 November 2006
Yes, we did add time to the card at a newsstand at CDG airport. We only had a little trouble getting it transmitted because the number to text the code was #123# and my husband's phone for whatever reason would not retain the # sign in the outgoing text message. So after a couple of tries and with some advice from another Slow Traveler, we did stumble through inputting the code using the recorded voice message.
We've had two French cell phone/SIM cards for about three years. In the past, we traveled often enough to France so that we could keep our numbers activated. But this year we didn't come to France in March and were looking at being away eight months-- and losing our phone numbers.
We had a friend in France call our two cell numbers before the SIM cards expired. She rang them through to hear our voice mail. This worked to keep our numbers active!
Kaydee/Kathy...do you mean you didn't have to put more money onto the phone - your friends calling your voice mail was enough????
I was told I had to add money. I buy a number of the 5 Euro top ups when I am in France, just in case I don't get back in time before loosing the number and recharge using those.
As it doesn't matter that I don't use the 5 Euro by making calls, only that I put the money onto the phone within the time required.
If all it takes is calling voice mail - that would certainly be a fabulous piece of news!
I used Orange prepaid card when I was in France. I have two of them currently still active, and roaming on my home country's network.
The Orange prepaid rate is 55 cents a minute on classic plan and 39 cents a minute for recharge above 50 EUR. The rate is still 55 cents but when you recharge above 50 EUR, you get extra credit that helps to indirectly lower your call rate.
You can log on into the Orange portal, check your credit balance, phone number validity and also to recharge your prepaid using credit card (Carte Bancaire). The minimum recharge amount is 5 EUR that gives you 7 days outgoing calls and one month validity period.
