Roaming and 3G/4G Sims
Discussion
Guys/Gals,
Anyone have any experience with buying French SIM cards for the main purpose of getting cheaper data rates? Lets face it we'll all be using youtube / facebook etc.
As I anticipate using some streaming feeds or following live timing apps, I have been looking at french data Sim card deals - buying local avoids all the roaming nonsense - but the deals are littered with smallprint - i.e. sim cards are for tablet only not for smartphones ? - go figure that one? Or ... "unlimited data" with 1Gb limits(?) - after that you are charged at a different rate or "throttled back".
Any help would be appreciated. This year will be my 10th visit to LM!
Anyone have any experience with buying French SIM cards for the main purpose of getting cheaper data rates? Lets face it we'll all be using youtube / facebook etc.
As I anticipate using some streaming feeds or following live timing apps, I have been looking at french data Sim card deals - buying local avoids all the roaming nonsense - but the deals are littered with smallprint - i.e. sim cards are for tablet only not for smartphones ? - go figure that one? Or ... "unlimited data" with 1Gb limits(?) - after that you are charged at a different rate or "throttled back".
Any help would be appreciated. This year will be my 10th visit to LM!
Shinynoisyfast said:
Lets face it we'll all be using youtube / facebook etc.
Ill be having fun, talking to my mates, cooking meat and getting drunkI might even watch some live motorsport, who knows?
(And im not one of those sandal wearing men that insists a nokia 3310 is all you need to make calls and doesn't agree with facebook.
This is coming from someone with an Iphone with unlimited data that's always "online" doing stuff/browsing. Its just nice to actually get away from it for a weekend with mates)
Edited by sidekickdmr on Wednesday 3rd June 09:32
Why bother?
a) Give your UK operator a call and find out what the charges will be/if they have any roaming 'add-ons'. Vodafone have a free 'Eurotraveller' add-on that costs s fixed £3 per-day to use your phone as if you were in the UK, with calls/data coming off your standard allowence. I'd imagine all networks will have something similar, with 3 giving you the same for free.
b) Get a 3 PAYG SIM
1. Go to 3 store.
2. Ask for a free PAYG SIM.
3. Buy a £10 add-on for 500MB or £15 for all-you-can-eat data.
4. Rely on the fact that France is in 3's Feel At Home destination list so data comes out of your bundle allowence as though you were in the UK.
Doubt buying a French PAYG SIM + top-up will be any cheaper.
Personally I'll only be in France Thurs/Mon and probably only using data Sat/Sun to check on the race. On Vodafone and signed-up to the free Eurotraveller package that's £6 for the weekend and cheaper than getting a 3 SIM. With unlimited data I'd need to be away for 6+ days to be worth getting a 3 SIM.
a) Give your UK operator a call and find out what the charges will be/if they have any roaming 'add-ons'. Vodafone have a free 'Eurotraveller' add-on that costs s fixed £3 per-day to use your phone as if you were in the UK, with calls/data coming off your standard allowence. I'd imagine all networks will have something similar, with 3 giving you the same for free.
b) Get a 3 PAYG SIM
1. Go to 3 store.
2. Ask for a free PAYG SIM.
3. Buy a £10 add-on for 500MB or £15 for all-you-can-eat data.
4. Rely on the fact that France is in 3's Feel At Home destination list so data comes out of your bundle allowence as though you were in the UK.
Doubt buying a French PAYG SIM + top-up will be any cheaper.
Personally I'll only be in France Thurs/Mon and probably only using data Sat/Sun to check on the race. On Vodafone and signed-up to the free Eurotraveller package that's £6 for the weekend and cheaper than getting a 3 SIM. With unlimited data I'd need to be away for 6+ days to be worth getting a 3 SIM.
Edited by //j17 on Wednesday 3rd June 09:36
Three UK network seem to be the best bet 10GB data sim think £15/20 and you can use that data in France. Last year I used Orange FR which i bought off ebay then was able to buy top ups from Orange shops in France. Some areas of France had 4G too
Shinynoisyfast said:
Guys/Gals,
Anyone have any experience with buying French SIM cards for the main purpose of getting cheaper data rates? Lets face it we'll all be using youtube / facebook etc.
As I anticipate using some streaming feeds or following live timing apps, I have been looking at french data Sim card deals - buying local avoids all the roaming nonsense - but the deals are littered with smallprint - i.e. sim cards are for tablet only not for smartphones ? - go figure that one? Or ... "unlimited data" with 1Gb limits(?) - after that you are charged at a different rate or "throttled back".
Any help would be appreciated. This year will be my 10th visit to LM!
Anyone have any experience with buying French SIM cards for the main purpose of getting cheaper data rates? Lets face it we'll all be using youtube / facebook etc.
As I anticipate using some streaming feeds or following live timing apps, I have been looking at french data Sim card deals - buying local avoids all the roaming nonsense - but the deals are littered with smallprint - i.e. sim cards are for tablet only not for smartphones ? - go figure that one? Or ... "unlimited data" with 1Gb limits(?) - after that you are charged at a different rate or "throttled back".
Any help would be appreciated. This year will be my 10th visit to LM!
//j17 said:
Why bother?
a) Give your UK operator a call and find out what the charges will be/if they have any roaming 'add-ons'. Vodafone have a free 'Eurotraveller' add-on that costs s fixed £3 per-day to use your phone as if you were in the UK, with calls/data coming off your standard allowence. I'd imagine all networks will have something similar, with 3 giving you the same for free.
b) Get a 3 PAYG SIM
1. Go to 3 store.
2. Ask for a free PAYG SIM.
3. Buy a £10 add-on for 500MB or £15 for all-you-can-eat data.
4. Rely on the fact that France is in 3's Feel At Home destination list so data comes out of your bundle allowence as though you were in the UK.
Doubt buying a French PAYG SIM + top-up will be any cheaper.
Personally I'll only be in France Thurs/Mon and probably only using data Sat/Sun to check on the race. On Vodafone and signed-up to the free Eurotraveller package that's £6 for the weekend and cheaper than getting a 3 SIM. With unlimited data I'd need to be away for 6+ days to be worth getting a 3 SIM.
Good info thanks, Three might be the way to go. I did check my O2 and the data was 50Mb a day which might fall over (without countless top ups) in the face of any decent streams - I have no idea what the official LM App will provide - I know there are "in app purchases" though?a) Give your UK operator a call and find out what the charges will be/if they have any roaming 'add-ons'. Vodafone have a free 'Eurotraveller' add-on that costs s fixed £3 per-day to use your phone as if you were in the UK, with calls/data coming off your standard allowence. I'd imagine all networks will have something similar, with 3 giving you the same for free.
b) Get a 3 PAYG SIM
1. Go to 3 store.
2. Ask for a free PAYG SIM.
3. Buy a £10 add-on for 500MB or £15 for all-you-can-eat data.
4. Rely on the fact that France is in 3's Feel At Home destination list so data comes out of your bundle allowence as though you were in the UK.
Doubt buying a French PAYG SIM + top-up will be any cheaper.
Personally I'll only be in France Thurs/Mon and probably only using data Sat/Sun to check on the race. On Vodafone and signed-up to the free Eurotraveller package that's £6 for the weekend and cheaper than getting a 3 SIM. With unlimited data I'd need to be away for 6+ days to be worth getting a 3 SIM.
Edited by //j17 on Wednesday 3rd June 09:36
sidekickdmr said:
Ill be having fun, talking to my mates, cooking meat and getting drunk
I might even watch some live motorsport, who knows?
(And im not one of those sandal wearing men that insists a nokia 3310 is all you need to make calls and doesn't agree with facebook.
This is coming from someone with an Iphone with unlimited data that's always "online" doing stuff/browsing. Its just nice to actually get away from it for a weekend with mates)
Fair point - bang to rights there! To be honest I was generalising. I am not on Facebook! I am interested in what can be provided via streaming apps though. I would be far happier leaving all phones and tablets at home and relying on the proprietry Kangaroo TV's that LM had a few years ago. That way you can follow the race when not trackside (i.e back at camp). I haven't been since 2011 so if they are back I will be chuffed.I might even watch some live motorsport, who knows?
(And im not one of those sandal wearing men that insists a nokia 3310 is all you need to make calls and doesn't agree with facebook.
This is coming from someone with an Iphone with unlimited data that's always "online" doing stuff/browsing. Its just nice to actually get away from it for a weekend with mates)
Edited by sidekickdmr on Wednesday 3rd June 09:32
eastsider said:
In my experience, from Saturday morning no data network (UK or French sim) will work as the circuit fills up with 150k people.
That might be the most relevant thing anyone has said. Thinking about it lots of users of the timing app from last year commented that the app worked up until raceday - then stopped working (probably not the apps fault).Gassing Station | Le Mans | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff