France

France currently has 4 mobile networks, Orange, Bouygues Télécom, SFR an Free all of which are licensed for GSM and UMTS.

Orange
Orange is the brand used by France Télécom for its mobile network operator and Internet service provider subsidiaries. It operates GSM 900 / GSM 1800 / UMTS 2100.

APN settings
 * username: orange
 * password: orange
 * APN name: orange.fr

Free
Free is the brand used by Iliad for its mobile network operator and Internet service provider subsidiaries.[mobile.free.fr]. It operates GSM 900 (using national roaming on Orange partner network) / GSM 1800 (using national roaming on Orange partner network) / UMTS 900 / UMTS 2100 / LTE 2600.

APN settings
 * username: (blank)
 * password: (blank)
 * APN name: free

Bouygues
APN settings
 * username: (blank)
 * password: (blank)
 * APN name: mmsbouygtel.com

Bouygues Pro
APN settings
 * username: a2b
 * password: acces
 * APN name: a2bouygtel

SFR
APN settings
 * username: (blank)
 * password: (blank)
 * APN name: sl2sfr (if it does not work, try: slsfr or wapsfr)

Virgin Network
APN settings
 * username: [leave blank]
 * password: [leave blank]
 * APN name: virgin-mobile.fr

Virgin on the Orange network
APN settings
 * username: orange
 * password: orange
 * APN name: ofnew.fr

Virgin on the SFR network
APN settings
 * username: sfr
 * password: (blank)
 * APN name: ofnew.fr

LeFrenchMobile
APN settings
 * username: tsl
 * password: tsl
 * APN name: netgprs.com

Orange
Orange's prepaid plan is called "Mobicarte". Mobicarte is the France Telecom / Orange Prepaid SIM card, which is admitted to Orange's GSM/EDGE- and also UMTS/HSDPA-network.

Options for internet access:

Option Internet Max €12/17$ month for 'unlimited' web + 10 MB mail access. Access may be terminated or capped after 500 MB download for the rest of the month, but it is reported, that this limit is not enforced (as of September 2008). It is not possible to renew this plan within the that same month to restore access.

To obtain unlimited data, first purchase an Orange SIM card (9€/13$ including 5€ of credit) and top it off for 30 days or more of service. No more than 12€ needed if just activating the monthly internet MAX option. For safety, don't put too much credit on your SIM, in case something goes wrong. Before you put your SIM in your phone, the first thing to do is to DISABLE 3G and/or data use. Especially if you have an iPhone (don't know how it is on other phones), your phone will quickly start sucking the credits out of your account at 50 cts a minute if your data plan is not set up yet.

How to activate
After disabling data and putting in the SIM, the best way of activating the internet MAX option is by dialing #123# and using the written menu system. It's all in French, so can be a bit difficult to get through. As of August 2010, these are the steps to go through: 1) Dial #123#

2) You get a startup menu showing the credit on your prepaid. Make sure it's more than 12 EUR if you want to be able to buy unlimited surfing for a month.

3) Choose '2' Menu

4) Choose '4' Vos Bons plans

5) Choose '4' Votre Multimedia

6) Once you're in this menu, Suite ('Suite' means 'Next')

7) Choose '6' Suite a couple of times until you see 'Option Internet max' or 'Internet Max'

8) Choose Internet Max

9) Now you get a description, choose 'Suite'

10) Then choose 'Souscrire' (subscribe).

11) Finally, choose 'Valider' (confirm). That should be it, although the option may take 48 hours to come into effect.

Where to buy
A Mobicarte prepaid SIM can be bought without a phone in Orange shops. Coupons for recharging can be bought at post offices, supermarkets and of course orange shops. You can also buy online before you depart from Mobi Passport[mobipassport.com]

Sim Sizes
Mini SIM (2FF)

Micro SIM (3FF) (iPhone 4 and iPad)

More information
Only the 'Internet Max' choice will give you unlimited access for a full month. It costs 12 EUR. You can also add mail access (POP3, SMTP, IMAP) at 9 EUR/ 17$, also in the 'Votre Multimedia' menu. You may not be able to add the Internet Max option to your account until your registration information has been added to Orange's systems, this may take 24 hours initially. If your registration has not been added yet, you will get an error message if you try to activate the 'Internet Max' option, stating in French that you need to go to a point of sale with your ID. If you order you SIM over the Orange website it does not arrive pre-registered. Although you can activate it, you then still need to go to a shop with your SIM and ID to have your identity registered to your SIM in Orange's systems before you can actually buy the internet MAX option plans.

SFR
Subscribtion is called "La carte". An activated SIM card is 5 EUR/ 7$, and the 'iPhone3G Internet + Mails Illimités' recharges provide data service. These are priced at 3 EUR/ 4$ for 1 day, 10 EUR/ 14$ for 7 days, and 20 EUR/ 28$ for 20 days. Text and calls are charged separately. See [www.sfr.fr/ their site] for more information.

How to activate
In order to activate, you should call the service line (costs call credit, or call from a landline) and tell them your code and to activate the data plan. This usually takes about an hour (actually the process itself took me about an hour, but only two days later did my line actually activate).

Where to buy
Some SFR stores have prepaid "top-up" terminals. Certain workers in SFR stores don't know about the availability of PAYG data for iPhones, even though their top-up terminals directly sell them. Recharges available online, but the site requires an existing SIM card and a European (smart chip) credit card.

Sim Sizes
Mini SIM

LeFrenchMobile
LeFrenchMobile is dedicated to English speakers staying in France for a short period (2 weeks to 2 years or more).

LeFrenchMobile meets the needs of foreigners in France in four different ways:

•	No commitment with LeFrenchMobile prepaid SIM card

•	Service is entirely in English (mobile phone, website, customer service…)

•	Cheap calls to home country (e.g: call Europe for the price of calling France)

•	Half price to call other LeFrenchMobile users

LeFrenchMobile offers a prepaid sim card (Standard, Micro or Nano sim) with 15€ or 40€ included to start. This credit will permit the customers to make local and international calls at very low tariffs, send sms, and have access to internet. The credit does not t have an expiry date.

How to activate
LeFrenchMobile works with all mobile phones, tablets and iPads as long as they are unlocked. When the sim card is insert in to the device, the pin code must be type and after making the first call a text message will be send with the phone number assign to that sim. Now the sim card is active. When you run out of credit you can top-up in our web site using any credit or debit card.

Where to buy
You can buy LeFrenchMobile sim card on the website www.lefrenchmobile.com/en/faq-france-prepaid-mobile-sim-card.html. The order will be processed the next 2 working days after. And the delivery time will depend on your country.

Sim Sizes
Mini SIM (2FF)

Micro SIM (3FF) (iPhone 4 and iPad)

Nano SIM (IPhone 5 and Mini iPad)

More information
You can benefit from cheap national and international tariffs:

•	Calling other lefrenchmobile from 0.09€/min

•	Calling to France and Europe from 0.19€/min

•	Calling to Australia, USA, Canada and Asia from 0.19€/min

Having access to internet is also very cheap. You can convert you credit into data bundles and benefit from cheap tariffs from 0.15€/MB to 0.10€/MB.