Hi All,

I am in France and am about to get a plan for my (US-bought) N900 but I'm having problems deciding on a provider/plan. I looked at the wiki linked here but it only lists Orange and does not have any info on SFR and Bouygues (the other two major french providers). I found some french sites with info but my french is not spectacular so I'm having problems extracting the info I need.

It seems bouygues might be blocking ports and streaming connections on some contracts, SFR blocks the maemo browser entirely because it considers it a PC browser and Orange restricts to a slower version of 3G+ (not sure about other stuff).


http://forum.hardware.fr/hfr/gsmgpsp...et_20773_1.htm

http://www.maemofrance.fr/2009/12/sf...-pour-le-n900/

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Sp...iale_en_France

I hope its alright to post these links here.

I would appreciate advice from anyone with an N900 or other reasonable smartphone as to which carrier in France provides:

- support for tethering (even if its not really allowed in the contract)
- no port blocking
- support for streaming (youtube, etc...)
- full 3G+ with no data limit

I'm basically just looking for a sane contract. Price is obviously also an issue but it seems hard to extract these details from the companies websites and you have to rely on user comments on forums.

I'm in Paris so coverage probably won't be a problem.

thanks a bunch

hello,

I should update the french list you are right.

support for tethering is forbidden for the 3 operators. works on orange and bouygues at least. for SFR you may have to change the UA.

I did not hear anything about port blocking... I've never been blocked for anything yet.

there is data limit for each, 1Gb for SFR and Orange, 500Mo for bouygues, and then it's not blocked but slower.

bouygues also has a limit in the downloads size:5Mo per download. which is not really annoying until you try to watch youtube.

bouygues is the cheapest, orange is the most expensive, SFR is almost as expensive as orange.

I use bouygues Neo 3 on my N900 and I'm very happy with it yet.

All plans require a phone plan along with it.
Netherlands:
T-Mobile Web 'n Walk=9,95€/month 384/64Kbit/no cap
T-Mobile Web 'n Walk Plus=14,95€/month 1024/384/capped to 384/64 after 2GB
Vodafone: 9,50€/3.6/???Mbit/250MB FUP (Voip/tether not alloıwed)
same as above but with voip=14,95/34,95 depending on your phone plan

Another thing to consider is whether the data limit quoted is
* A hard cap (ie will stop working above this)
* A fair Use Policy (probably user will get a warning, it may continue working)
* A inclusive amount, after which an additional charge applies (occasionally reasonable, often punitive)

For me the FUP approach is best as it's the most flexible/lowest risk

Also using the £5 "xseries silver" [not available any more] for 1Gb FUP -- rumours are that FUP isn't enforced until 1.5-2Gb.

Also any port blocking/T&C conditions can affect choice -- for example
3UK has pretty much no blocks, and only T&C is "not for use as a model" (it works fine, have never been charged but only use in emergencies!)
Vodafone have lots of T&Cs (no MSN, no SIP/VoIP, skype...) but appear not to enforce them.... their 500Mb data tariff is FUP, but their 1Gb iphone tariff is an inclusive bundle with punitive charges above it.

The Wiki page http://wiki.maemo.org/Data_plans is a wonderful idea, but there is no date listed for each plan. Without this data, there is a high likelihood that the data will get old and not be detected. I think there should be a "Taffif introduced" or "Tarrif know to be available" column.

I don't have time to make the Wiki edit to add a column (initially with blanks), but thought I should mention the idea.

My company has a need to install a GPRS modem in an oilfield just south of Paris and we need a provider/price for a data plan. We would need 24x7 service to access this remote equipment. I've been reading the threads regarding the lousy French data plans from Orange & the other two companies, but I can't see if there is actually a plan that can fit our needs. Can anyone clarify directly if one of the 3 companies has a 24x7 unlimited data plan for GPRS modems?

William Carrillo
USA

if you need less than 1gb of data per month they are all ok, depending of the network cover.

if you have specific needs, the three of them have a pro service that you can call and buid you an adequate (though expensive) data plan.

if you need more information about that, contact me directly, I'll try to help.

Denmark

Callme - Subscriptions with traffic included.

Surf'n'Call 199kr 500Mb

Surf'n'Call 299kr 1Gb

Surf'n'Call 399kr 10Gb

After 6 months the subscription gets 50Kr cheaper. Maximum traffic 10Gb, the first 2 pay 1.99Kr/MB or can buy a pack of 10Gb for 149kr.

Package for normal Talk subscriptions:

Data mini: 49Kr/month 1Gb
Data Maxi: 99kr/month 10Gb

-------------------------------------------------------
Telenor:

Data Package:

Surf XXXS - 9kr/month 5Mb included
Surf S - 99kr/month 500Mb included
Surf L - 199kr/month 10Gb included


Standard 10kr/mb
----------------------------------------------------------

Telia

standard 10kr/Mb

Data package:

300Mb 50Kr/month extra traffic 0.17Kr/mb
1Gb 99kr/month entra trafic 0.1Kr/mb
10Gb 299Kr/month extra trafic 0.03kr/mb

1Kr = 0,134406678 euro (always)

Get a subscription not a prepaid card and you'll have decent things. Orange offers for 14 or 15 Euros 12 Gb, but this are packages additional to your normal subscription.
It's marketing, no-one will offer you decent traffic as a prepay.

Everybody talks here about subscriptions, but noo you come here an try to make Romania look as a 3-rd world country with no internet access.
They have decent speeds (Orange and Vodafone) for their subscriptions, and more than decent prices compared to EU. The 3G coverage is not the best, but still.

Heres one for the UK that should get some interest:

If you have an Orange PAYG Sim:

Buy the Orange World access:

£1 for one day
£5 for one week

Its HSDPA enabled and doesnt limit you.

Its suppose to, 50mb i think, but hasnt cut me of yet..

I use it in an HSDPA USB Dongle when im away from home and in some months have downloaded well over 100GB.