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ECJ

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
559
193
Memphis, TN
I leave for Paris on Wednesday for a week, and was wondering which carrier I can use there. I have the Verizon iPhone 5, which is unlocked :D. I know there aren't any LTE options. Just want a carrier that can offer a nano-SIM for mostly Internet access and limited voice and texting.

Am I out of luck, or will I have to cut a SIM down to get what I need? Thanks in advance.
 

DeltaHF

macrumors regular
May 14, 2008
111
90
I would also be interested to know this, as I often travel to Europe and am thinking of switching from AT&T to Verizon when I upgrade to the 5.

Is there any reason you're not just using the international service plans offered by Verizon? I presume using a European SIM is cheaper?
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,019
7,862
I'd check with Orange, which is the big telecom over there. Another good site to check out is http://www.prepaidgsm.net. Local SIMs are almost always better than roaming.

One downside is that many stores may not yet have nano-SIMs as they are so new. Fortunately, not wanting to be caught off guard like they were with the Micro-SIM, telecoms started ordering these as soon as the standard was ratified and it became clear Apple would use it.
 

ECJ

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
559
193
Memphis, TN
Ok, I have the answers. I arrived in Paris and was pretty easy.

1. Go to an Orange carrier store, and request the mobicarte for text/voice. The should have the nano-SIM. It costs 5€ for the SIM and has 5€ credit on it. So it comes to 9.90€.

1a. Add an additional 10€ credit to the SIM.

1b. Make sure you have your passport or drivers license, so they can add the info to your account. That will enable you add the other options after you leave the store.

2. Don't mention data or anything about data. They will tell you it's not available or not possible.

3. Once you are out of the store, call #123# to pull up the menu. The chose "Menu", then "Bons Plans", and select "Internet et e-mails", "Options Internet Max". That will cost about 9€ and will give you 3G speeds for a month.

The agent said the Internet doesn't allow anything but Safari usage. Everything worked but pop email and VOIP. Maps, GPS, iMessage and even App Store downloads worked.

Hope this helps some people. The Verizon unlocked phones really are the way to go for tavelers.
 
Last edited:

czar44

macrumors member
Sep 21, 2012
52
0
Thanks for sharing! Travel to Europe several times a year so this is a big help!
 

ehchan

macrumors newbie
Aug 30, 2006
14
0
In case someone is going to place where nanosims do not exist, I've successfully cut sims to nano-sized (even through the contacts since they're too big) and the sim works fine, no problems at all. No need to shave it thinner for the 5.
 

Insilin1i

macrumors regular
Dec 30, 2009
149
0
Toronto, Canada
I wish I knew that when I went to Paris for a week, I asked about data which was the only real reason I wanted the sim and they said it takes 2-3 days to activate so I didn't bother. If it was same day then I would have gone with it.
 

apierrec

macrumors 6502
Sep 18, 2012
415
1
Ok, I have the answers. I arrived in Paris and was pretty easy.

1. Go to an Orange carrier store, and request the mobicarte for text/voice. The should have the nano-SIM. It costs 5€ for the SIM and has 5€ credit on it. So it comes to 9.90€.

1a. Add an additional 10€ credit to the SIM.

1b. Make sure you have your passport or drivers license, so they can add the info to your account. That will enable you add the other options after you leave the store.

2. Don't mention data or anything about data. They will tell you it's not available or not possible.

3. Once you are out of the store, call #123# to pull up the menu. The chose "Menu", then "Bons Plans", and select "Internet et e-mails", "Options Internet Max". That will cost about 9€ and will give you 3G speeds for a month.

The agent said the Internet doesn't allow anything but Safari usage. Everything worked but pop email and VOIP. Maps, GPS, iMessage and even App Store downloads worked.

Hope this helps some people. The Verizon unlocked phones really are the way to go for tavelers.


Thanks for sharing this. I have a Verizon iP5 and will be traveling to Paris as well. Cheers!

This is why I chose the Verizon iP5! W00t
 

DeltaHF

macrumors regular
May 14, 2008
111
90
Thanks for sharing that info! I will definitely bookmark this thread for the next time I travel to Europe. :)
 

ANMA dojo

macrumors regular
Mar 22, 2010
198
1
I would also be interested to know this, as I often travel to Europe and am thinking of switching from AT&T to Verizon when I upgrade to the 5.
if you're already on AT&T, why switch to Verizon simply for LTE while traveling? the AT&T iphone will work in Europe, including 3G data, just not LTE.

//also: Verizon comes factory unlocked out of the box, but AT&T only costs about $6 to unlock on ebay if you had bought it locked with a subsidized (early) phone upgrade -- even the OP said that she only gets 3G speeds anyways (LTE advantage moot)
 

ECJ

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
559
193
Memphis, TN
She is a he. Lol. Anyway, if that person travels to the UK with an AT&T iPhone 5, they couldn't get any LTE. If they had the Verizon model, they could jump on the Everything Everywhere LTE.

Plus higher resale versus the AT&T version.
 

newbay415

macrumors newbie
Nov 27, 2012
2
0
R AT&T vs Verizon for European travel - frequencies!

Do some research on frequencies.
An AT&T card will not give LTE on a Verizon phone and vice-versa.
I was told that Verizon covers most frequencies used by European carriers (nw and future) for LTE. AT&T does not.
Does anyone have feedback on this.
I will be in Paris shortly and will rerport back.
Does anyone know whether Orange allow tethering?
 

youCANTstopME

macrumors newbie
Dec 7, 2012
4
0
Ok, I have the answers. I arrived in Paris and was pretty easy.

1. Go to an Orange carrier store, and request the mobicarte for text/voice. The should have the nano-SIM. It costs 5€ for the SIM and has 5€ credit on it. So it comes to 9.90€.

1a. Add an additional 10€ credit to the SIM.

1b. Make sure you have your passport or drivers license, so they can add the info to your account. That will enable you add the other options after you leave the store.

2. Don't mention data or anything about data. They will tell you it's not available or not possible.

3. Once you are out of the store, call #123# to pull up the menu. The chose "Menu", then "Bons Plans", and select "Internet et e-mails", "Options Internet Max". That will cost about 9€ and will give you 3G speeds for a month.

The agent said the Internet doesn't allow anything but Safari usage. Everything worked but pop email and VOIP. Maps, GPS, iMessage and even App Store downloads worked.

Hope this helps some people. The Verizon unlocked phones really are the way to go for tavelers.

The agent said the Internet doesn't allow anything but Safari usage. Everything worked but pop email and VOIP. Maps, GPS, iMessage and even App Store downloads worked.

It's good to know that CSRs will say ridiculous stuff worldwide.
 

ECJ

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
559
193
Memphis, TN
Do some research on frequencies.
An AT&T card will not give LTE on a Verizon phone and vice-versa.
I was told that Verizon covers most frequencies used by European carriers (nw and future) for LTE. AT&T does not.
Does anyone have feedback on this.
I will be in Paris shortly and will rerport back.
Does anyone know whether Orange allow tethering?

When I was there in Sept, Orange didn't allow it on the prepaid SIM.
 

hgrimberg

macrumors 6502a
Dec 2, 2012
531
21
In case someone is going to place where nanosims do not exist, I've successfully cut sims to nano-sized (even through the contacts since they're too big) and the sim works fine, no problems at all. No need to shave it thinner for the 5.

There is no need to shave it thinner? Is that right?
 

gn3296

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2013
2
0
Verizon iPhone5 in Paris

"3. Once you are out of the store, call #123# to pull up the menu. The chose "Menu", then "Bons Plans", and select "Internet et e-mails", "Options Internet Max". That will cost about 9€ and will give you 3G speeds for a month."


Hi ECJ! I have a quick question ... we're heading to Paris for two weeks shortly too and really want to do this:

Regarding the above, how do you pay the additional 9€? Is it via credit card on your phone? Do you provide a credit card to the Orange store to set up an account? Just not sure how that transaction happened if you did it on your own after leaving the store.

After the month, you didn't incur any additional charges? And is it a calendar month of service?

Sorry for the questions, but this is a great help!!
 

Feed Me

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
831
6
Location Location
"3. Once you are out of the store, call #123# to pull up the menu. The chose "Menu", then "Bons Plans", and select "Internet et e-mails", "Options Internet Max". That will cost about 9€ and will give you 3G speeds for a month."


Hi ECJ! I have a quick question ... we're heading to Paris for two weeks shortly too and really want to do this:

Regarding the above, how do you pay the additional 9€? Is it via credit card on your phone? Do you provide a credit card to the Orange store to set up an account? Just not sure how that transaction happened if you did it on your own after leaving the store.

After the month, you didn't incur any additional charges? And is it a calendar month of service?

Sorry for the questions, but this is a great help!!

I'm assuming the €9 came from the €10 credit ECJ added to their SIM at the store. Adding credit to your SIM is called "topping up" and can be done via the carrier's website, in a carrier store, or in many convenience stores/supermarkets.
 

gn3296

macrumors newbie
Jan 14, 2013
2
0
I'm assuming the €9 came from the €10 credit ECJ added to their SIM at the store. Adding credit to your SIM is called "topping up" and can be done via the carrier's website, in a carrier store, or in many convenience stores/supermarkets.

Oh yes! Oh course. Been awhile since I've been out of the US. "Pay as you go" is a model I'm not used to! Makes total sense. I imagine that the rates for voice/text etc. can be provided when you get to the Orange store and we can 'top off' as often as we want/need during our two weeks there.

Thanks!!
 

ECJ

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
559
193
Memphis, TN
I'm assuming the €9 came from the €10 credit ECJ added to their SIM at the store. Adding credit to your SIM is called "topping up" and can be done via the carrier's website, in a carrier store, or in many convenience stores/supermarkets.

Yup, that's exactly what I did. Just added the credit in the shop to the sim.
 

nidserz

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2008
955
16
Dubai x Toronto
Bringing back this thread - heading to France tomorrow for 10 days, wondering if anyone has been recently and if these plans still stand? I don't see it on the website so it might have changed.
Thanks!
 

zorinlynx

macrumors G3
May 31, 2007
8,144
17,473
Florida, USA
I don't understand why travelers are so obsessed with getting LTE abroad when roaming on domestic plans.

Roaming data is EXPENSIVE. Even with 3G you can blow through a typical 60MB or 120MB roaming data plan in 15 minutes. Hell, I'd want to AVOID using LTE, so if I accidentally start a large download I can kill it before it uses too much of my plan!

Stop worrying about LTE. Unless you are Bill Gates, 3G/UMTS is more than enough speed for roaming on your domestic plan. Now buying a local SIM card in the country you're going to is another story... but you usually don't need to do that for just a few days.
 

Clint1583

macrumors regular
Mar 4, 2011
155
9
My wife just got back from France with her Verizon iphone and the phone worked perfect. No new SIM card needed or paying for roaming charges. Just call Verizon and add the global phone service for something like $5.99 a month and that's it. Call's are $1.99 per minute and texts were .50 sent and .05 received. If you need data you have to add that also, $25.00 for 100 mb if I remember right. Very easy.
 

nidserz

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2008
955
16
Dubai x Toronto
I didnt day anything anot LTE, just wanted the data option. I got a SIM from orange but the menu has since changed and I haven't been able to activate a data plan. The employee said it would be activated by tomorrow but my credit has not been reduced so I don't think anything went through. Was just wondering if anyone had any experience with Orange in France as of late.

Thanks
 
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