Keeping your US number and getting a French one - cost, process, tips

[@reklovjj]

Hi I’m French born but 30+ years in the US and yes American citizen too. Planning on moving back while keeping all or most my US accounts alive while in France. You Guys are the freshest help avail on YT as well by far the best so far! Bravo et j’espère que vous aimez votre nouveau pays..,

[@kazauksp]

Thank you for the video. Fun fact : Free tried to buy T-Mobile US 10 years ago. US providers started to panic because Free wanted to propose in the US the same french phone/internet plan. Fortunatly for them T-Mobile refused the offer and US providers can continue milking the cow.

[@sitode]

Thank you for this video. We are moving to France in a month. Between selling our house, packing and the millions of other things you do to move, your video took care of a big question mark for us. One less headache with every video you post - THANKS!

[@inspirational_moments_4u]

Are you moving with kids ?

[@octpro]

For a slightly different perspective, here's what we did: 1. We ported our US number to Google FI, which is $25/month and gives us worldwide coverage if needed. 2. When we landed in France we got a prepaid SIM from Orange. Just walked into an Orange store and got one using the credit card. Used that until we got a permanent plan. 3. We also got a combo TV/Internet/Phone plan. With this plan calling the US/EU from home is free.

[@AkamaiOkole]

I did the exact same thing. The Google FI plen is a good idea as it gives you a real cell number for 2FA from the US but you now have a data plan when you visit home too.

[@reklovjj]

Yet FI will cancel your plan in 60 days if you don’t go back to the states! Not an option if you’re planning on living in France

[@Oatmeal_pdx]

What I love about your channel is that it is definitely not fluffy. You are not selling the equivalent of sugar. It often has real and useful info. The best part is that you've done it yourself. Thank you for your work. I can't wait for the video about banking and the part about using Wise (or not).

[@Francebound2024]

@@Oatmeal_pdx I agree! Their videos on applying for the visas were great!

[@mamaahu]

I paid $20 to port my old number to Google Voice. I have a prepaid account with TMobile for $10/ month. For my cell/data calls in the U.S. I have Free for my phone in France.

[@sacroyalty]

Moving to France resource list? Omg you guys are amazing. Our 1 way tickets are purchased :)

[@BaguetteBound]

Yay!!

[@mirthacacho]

Can not express how much I appreciate you guys, you talk about things that no one does, so sincerely nothing attached behind your intentions just pure honesty ❤️

[@h4zegrey]

I just paid $99 for lifetime service through phone2 for a US phone number that uses VoIP through an app. I'm on a 10 year glide path to my EU retirement and happened to do this right before I found your channel.

[@doubleas4414]

You guys are a blessing , bringing a bit of comfort to an otherwise potentially stressful process! We are glad to have you in our back pocket as we move forward. A bientot. 😊

[@slicksalmon6948]

Exceptionally clear and well presented.

[@mickaellegros7821]

Totally agree from a french point of view, it's very complete

[@BaguetteBound]

@@slicksalmon6948 and @mickaellegros merci !

[@ohiolongs]

Thanks for the Google Voice info! We have been in France for a week and it has made using our Credit Cards for home purchases so easy.

[@BaguetteBound]

Yay!! So glad it was helpful! Thank you for the super thanks.😊

[@nancyrivard6194]

Hello to all three of you. I’ve been watching your videos for a while now & want to thank you. Information is very useful in preparing for my move to France….Limoux in April. Keep up the great videos.

[@longlostkryptonian5797]

Really eye opening advice! Thanks so much. You two are the best!

[@theushistorian]

Thank you! I recently received my long-stay Visa and I'm headed to Nice in two months. This was so helpful!

[@BaguetteBound]

Bon chance! (Good luck!)

[@whatsnextcareer]

Your content gets better and better and better. Well done what I like about your channel is it you get specific and granular about problems that people have and how to solve them without being over generalized. We will be moving in France in 4 to 5 weeks and your videos have been very helpful. Thanks❤

[@mirthacacho]

Same here, yours videos have been my go to..

[@SueIsRetiringToFrance]

Congrats! I am about 9 months out from making the move! I HAVE to be there before the Tour de France starts (my totally guilty pleasure is fangirling throughout France during that event).

[@michaellourdemaria7245]

Thanks for all those tips.

[@michellecbauer]

First, I LOVE that blue on the wall! Nicely done. You two have knocked it out of the park once again. This video is so incredibly helpful and you give the kind of details that people like me really need but would have no clue about. The Orange Tourist Plan sounds fantastic and I going to try that on my next trip. Thank you so much!

[@RonRobertson-lafrance]

I wish I'd known about the google voice thing before I moved here. Could have saved some money! I may try it on a VPN anyway, but probably it won't work. I went with Orange simply because I knew they used to be France Telecom, and a friend who's lived here over 50 years told me they were the most trouble-free. And so far, they basically have been. The only thing is that when I wanted to get phone, internet I couldn't get a contract with Orange without having a visa of over 90 days (I now have a Titre de Séjour, so no longer a problem). Anyway, nice video!

[@beauthestdane]

It is easy to open an account with Wise or Revolut to get an EU IBAN. With Revolut, when you are French resident, you can get an French IBAN, with Wise, it is a Belgian IBAN.

[@ariannewdnotbe]

This was very informative. Thanks so much. We will be moving there in the next year or so. I’d also add that What’s App is a free way to make international calls. We use it to call friends & family in France from the US & vice versa.

[@wanderwithSean]

I moved to Montpellier two weeks ago and this might be the most useful KZbin video I’ve ever watched 😂 Thanks

[@philippelp3780]

Hello, I hope that you enjoy Montpellier. Many things to see in the city and in the area. Like going to the beach by bike or climbing the Pic Saint Loup. Should you need any advice or help, let me know. Welcome!

[@rhdrhd3255]

i am from montpellier was born there welcome

[@chucku00]

Beware of SFR : their customer support service is really awful even for French standards. They're known to jack up the price of their contracts unexpectedly. Their landline/DSL/cable technicians often mess up other ISP lines in the neighborhood, especially when they're opening a new customer line. Their 4G/5G coverage is also subpar, especially in the countryside. If you're in need of a short-term cellular data/phone service, there's also the solution of a pre-paid SIM card you can find in café-tabacs in any city. For 5 to 50€ you can get from 15 min to 2 hours local and/or international phone calls and 500MB to 100GB of data.

[@KBinturong]

Look for taxiphone in google maps to get prepaid. but you can also look for the 4 company but they may ask more things. At SFR, it's 15€ for 10 Go of data, unlimited calls and messaging for 30 days. 20€ for 80Go, 25€ for 140Go. But for when you are settle I wouldn't use SFR either.

[@jeffinabnit9819]

Great information. I think we’ll try the Orange tourist plan when we arrive before getting a regular provider. Counting down to arrival soon.

[@skorrr78]

Worst network is SFR Bouygues and Free are ok depending where you live. Orange have the best network (because this is the historical operator France Telecom which have all the infrastrucure)

[@debvandusen3623]

TY for that tidbit of info!

[@Taldanmus]

Well done guys! I can verify these ideas even from moving to Germany a few years ago, similar situation.

[@asterixky]

As you mentioned, I also go to Amazon before going to France and buy a Sim card from Orange. It works very well every time.

[@Emlt]

It’s important to know that the cell phone companies are also internet providers. They offer to join the phone and internet subscription plans.

[@wendytipton]

Very helpful information. Thanks!

[@paulin1606]

Free is well known the less expensive, SFR i wouldnt advise, 20 years I am with Bouygues for 25€/month, unlimited calls and SMS in Europe, no problem at all. Orange is ok too.

[@rhdrhd3255]

i pay 9 euro a month for 100go with bouygues and you can find cheaper

[@Marius-jg6sl]

I pay 12 €, 200gigas unlimited phone and sms, bouygues. 38€ for 4k tv phone and internet fiber , bouygues again.

[@LisaNazarian]

You provide such clear information. I love details; the more the better. So to be sure I have followed this: my actual phone that I use in the US is what I would bring with me when I move to France - but before I leave the US I need to port my US number to google voice - then with the same US physical phone - I select a French phone plan and that Sim card will go into my US phone, correct? I take it Google voice is free? And once I port my US phone number over I guess I would just cancel my US cell phone plan after a couple of days in France once I have the new Sim card in? Thanks 😊

[@erinfield1943]

Thanks again. I know you guys are self-employed, but if you did a video on moving to France on an employment visa, I'd watch the crap out of that. I'm focusing on learning Microsoft development (and I speak French) because I think out of the three visa options (self-employment, employment, and applying for a master's), employment is making the most sense for me.

[@thunderbolt8409]

few more things: -for a mobile plan you need to have a french bank account but also you need to have your name on the card in France you have some bank account without any name card like Nickel and they refuse them -the same company sell mobile plans and internet plan it can be cost effective for exemple with free (I think) you can have internet telephone and television for 40€ with optic fiber and a reduction on mobile plan

[@oliverw3646]

Really excellent and useful content, Thank you. I am moving to France just for the cell service.

[@rhdrhd3255]

😂 i pay 9 euro a month for 100go with 5G unlimited call and sms and you can find even cheaper

[@GeraldFigal]

Very good info, neatly presented. You guys are great!

[@MichelleLynnThompson]

Thank you for so many details and options! This is so empowering. Merci🎉

[@TravelUrsul]

Great info - thank you!

[@cynthiahudson7528]

Great video, thanks for sharing your knowledge. Will be in touch in the next few months.

[@basumner6989]

This video was really helpful. Thank you so much for the great information you consistently deliver!

[@BaguetteBound]

Thank you for watching!

[@FrankBlanchardAIFD]

Great info, very helpful. Thank you!

[@ElMariachi1337]

How about prepaid cards for the first couple of weeks ? We do have those in NL. You can just buy them at phone stores and even in grocery stores. It gives you a SIM card and a local number and you can use top up cards that can be bought in the same stores or online to get data/minutes on the card. If you register the number you can even port that number to a regular provider/contract later on. Ofcourse they are more expensive in use then a contract but I think it's not a bad option if being used for a limited amount of time.

[@BaguetteBound]

Yes, the prepaid cards can be a good option. You can usually find these at a variety of stores (tabacs, grocery stores) often inside train stations and the airport as well.

[@elizzy8754]

Yes, we used prepaid cards for the first few weeks, and topped them up as necessary.

[@ValleyGreenNaturals]

Always such great information! Thank you!

[@hellohjbgjh]

I wish I knew you when I went to Mimizan for holiday this summer I drove not far on my way from Bordeaux to Limoges.... I would have loved to exchange experiences as a French or American traveller across the Atlantic.

[@hellohjbgjh]

Maybe add a bit of music with your slide presentation that'd be a plus, like the Lilou Mace music's genre for eg😊

[@staceyarbetter5011]

What about the new phones (iphone 16) that don't use physical SIM cards - only eSIMS?

[@MinhNgo-qj1bt]

We plan to moving to France 🇫🇷 next year. I want to know what kind bank you used in France and US to do transfer with less fee. Thank you.

[@asterixky]

Same here. So far I know to use a bank that services both countries. BNP Paribas is one of them, but I don't know there fees.

[@MinhNgo-qj1bt]

@@asterixkyhere the info my friend got from BNP Paribas. I follow up on your request to open an account, -copy of your passports -proof of address of - 3 months (utility bill water, gas, electricity, internet box) -Certificate of accommodation if applicable -Letter of bank recommendation from your bank in the US (model attached) -Complete the attached documents AEOI/W9/DCF/EER -Provide us with a French address (yours or that of one of your relatives) The account maintenance fee is 10 euros per month. The price of a classic visa card is 46 euros / year -withdrawals: 1500euros / week -Payments: 3500euros / 30 rolling days

[@Sonorus52]

If you’re a US citizen many banks will not spell with you because of FATCA. La Banque Postale cannot deny you on that basis but they will want a lot of personal financial data before you account is decisively approved. Crédit Agricole is another option for US citizens who do not already an account with an intl French bank

[@aliciabaylina6275]

Currencies Direct is who we used to transfer both the deposit and final payment for the house purchase. They will give you a much better exchange rate and they are incorporated as a subsidiary of their corp in Orlando FL Google them.

[@Henning_Rech]

How do you think/act with your registration at Google/Apple? (I know the Android/Google case from onw experience, but guess it is the same with Apple). If you have an Android registered to a EU address your Play Store is the European version. Now you are temporarily back in the US, for a visit. You want to use Venmo? - the app is not available to you. You want to use temporarily a Verizon prepaid contract? - the app is not available to you. You want to use some local public transport in the US which requires an app? - it is not available to you. - You are allowed to change the country of your registration only after 12 months past the last change, and have to do it 4 weeks in advance before it gets in effect.

[@beauthestdane]

Free has a store right near CDG airport.

[@manoul71]

Free is what u need

[@donresendez5659]

If you have Google Voice you can call the US for free. Why use free to contact the US. You might be able to save some money depending on how many minutes you have on the plan. If your child calls her friends in the US have her use Google Voice, and she can talk as long as he/she wants for free. I live in the US but have a UK phone number I have had for years. I use this whenever I travel to Europe. Of course, if I moved to France I would get a French number as well.

[@SueIsRetiringToFrance]

So, so helpful, thank you! One thing I ran into this week here in the US - I wanted to set up an account in Leboncoin since they have THE BEST lists of long-term housing rentals. BUT, you can't do it from the US. Their system only allows telephone country codes from Europe (and maybe a few close-to-Europe) sites. But not across and of the Big Ponds. So for now I can only search and dream. Which is okay, because my scouting trip is in February which means my move will not be until late Spring at earliest. If any of your viewers know a way around this, let me know! (Sue)

[@joistannertasidrealtor9334]

I had that problem too. Bummer! Hope there is a way that someone knows.

[@MacGregorLassie]

Hi Guys, Please tell me how you recharge your U.S. phones in France when the power/electricity is different voltage? Do you have to buy any kind of converter? I have a Samsung. Your videos are so helpful, thank you. Hoping to make the move in a few months.

[@BaguetteBound]

It is easy to find brand new phone charger units almost everywhere (big train stations and airports, grocery stores, tabacs), you can pick one up quickly after you arrive. They use the same USB or USB-c cables that your US charger uses, so those are interchangeable in both countries. It might be a good idea to have a plug adaptor/converter for those first few hours/days. We had plug adaptors when we moved, but havent used them for our phones after the first few days.

[@MacGregorLassie]

@@BaguetteBound Thank you so much for your reply. I actually see now that my Samsung charger is a "travel charger" with 100 - 240 volts, so that should be fine. Another question: Did your U.S laptops and tablets charger and work okay too in France? Thanks.

[@philippelp3780]

@@MacGregorLassie Most of the chargers for mobile devices are now manufactured in China and they are for a 'global' market. Meaning that they may be used with a wide range of voltages and frequencies (110-240 V AC and 50Hz-60Hz). There is always a label on the charger, that indicates the accepted input currents. Most often in very small letters and figures... You just may need a plug adapter.

[@MacGregorLassie]

@@philippelp3780 Thank you very much. I appreciate your help.

[@couli1807]

Hi. You did not mention the option of getting a prepaid SIM card. Actually you did mention "Orange Holidays" option, which is a prepaid card but SFR (offre touriste European Travel) and Bouygues (carte prépayée voyage) just offer exactly the same. Free do not offer prepaid cards. Also it is worth mentioning that outside the 4 mobile operators (licensed companies who own and operate a mobile network) there are some MVNOs in France. Those are Service providers allowed to use one operator's network. A significant one is La Poste, using SFR network.

[@Jada6828]

that was great info. I am down to the nitty gritty, and the stuff i need to know is the day to day like this. can you talk about setting up utilities, i read a post that said this was not easy if you don't speak french. can you hire an entpreter service for things like this. I decided on free for internet, tv and phone for the grand total of $29/mo to start and $39/mo after 1 year. right now i pay 350 for those services. also can you talk about shopping. is carrefour equivilent to walmart. Can you buy fresh chicken in the grocery store or do you do that at the butcher.

[@philippelp3780]

Let's take Carrefour as an example : they have ''Carrefour City'', ''Carrefour Market'' and ''Carrefour hypermarchés''. All are groceries store but their size is different. Thus their product range... In all Carrefour you will find food (even fresh chicken), but in hypermarkets you may find clothes and home appliances. About the chicken, you may give a try to a butcher shop in a building on in a food market. Perhaps a little more expensive but most often with a better quality.

[@Sonorus52]

Amazing, isn’t it, how so many US « global » companies require a US phone number + US address and postal code ? Have you yet tried managing US retirement accounts from outside the US ? Now that would be worth a detailed video … c’est un cauchemar (at least Social Security now allows folks outside the US to access the My Social Security site). Another related topic is why you need a VPN app, and which are the good choices

[@asterixky]

I am middle class French/American wanting to retired back to France. How would you transfer a few hundreds of thousands of dollar to France? Selling my house here in the US and buying one in France.

[@heliedecastanet1882]

Le mieux serait peut-être de contacter une banque française, non ?

[@asterixky]

@@heliedecastanet1882 Oui, ce serait une bonne idee. Merci

[@aliciabaylina6275]

I used Currencies Direct to transfer similar amounts. They were fantastic and the entire process was seamless. Still use them today to transfer money between US accounts and French accounts. They will also give you a better exchange rate than banks. When you’re talking hundreds of thousands, that 1-2% you save on exchange fees translates into tens of thousands in savings

[@Tycobb10]

Can you do two-step verification on Google Voice? My understanding was you could not.

[@BaguetteBound]

It depends on the institution. It's worked for us in all but two cases. In each of those we were able to change to email verification.

[@antoinedescours2459]

si t'as free, t'as tout compris

[@aliciabaylina6275]

Very weird; I left a long complimentary message here but it’s gone. Not sure if you deleted it or why? Anyway, well done guys!

[@BaguetteBound]

We did not, I'm not sure what happened. But thank you! And thanks for answering a question in the comment thread below too. 😉

[@aliciabaylina6275]

@@BaguetteBound So we took the leap in January of 2022 like you. And much like you, it’s been an amazing experience. I’ll try to repost something more robust but suffice it to say, I wish we had your channel when I was in research hell on all the ex-pat FB grps trying to gather all the info that goes into a monumental journey like moving abroad. It was hard going but we nailed it. Still, to have all the accurate info we need in a channel, would have been life-changing. You guys were born to do this. And as you know, there’s a dearth of this type of info in one place out there. Your vlogs are well-researched because you lived it, and extremely well presented. We have a bunch of friends looking at moving here predicated on the election outcome and I’m just going to steer them to you if it turns out they need to recalibrate😊 You’ve really found a niche that’s truly needed and I can’t wait for more content. Truly AMAZEBALLS job👏👏👏

[@BaguetteBound]

​@aliciabaylina6275 this is our first "Amazeballs" on this channel! 😂 Really, thank you for the kind words and so happy to hear you're loving you life in France too. 🇫🇷 ❤

[@aliciabaylina6275]

@@BaguetteBound LOL, I parse out my “AMAZEBALLS” only when truly merited😉 Had yet another comment deleted. WHAT is up with KZbin today?🤬 We’re in the south; just 20km east of Carcassonne and 1.5hrs south of Toulouse so we’re not too far from each other. If you guys ever make your way down here, let me know and we can meet up for lunch and put our heads together. Would love to send you my contact info but not quite sure how to do that on this forum. We love our area; we’re in Minervois-Corbieres wine country where 5€ buys a good bottle of wine comparable to a $30 in the states. We’re 2.5hrs to Barcelona by train or 3hrs driving, and only 50min to the Med beaches. It’s just heaven here not to mention breathtakingly beautiful. What most impresses me is the quality of life that most people can only dream of in the U.S., is so readily accessible here. The French work to live. Americans live to work. There’s just not that work/life balance there is here. The affordability was also a major factor. We bought a home similar in size to yours, a 7 bedroom Maison de Maitre for peanuts compared to the states, on about 1/3 acre, in a village. Our home insurance and property taxes are a fraction of what they were in the states. Groceries are 1/3- to 1/2 the cost of the U.S. Restaurants are crazy cheap for great food; a 3-course meal for 20€🤷🏻‍♀️ Food is fresher, cleaner and healthier because you don’t have the pesticides & steroids here that are allowed in U.S. The French are kind and polite, albeit reserved, but if you make an effort to assimilate, they embrace you and will help in any way they can. Another differentiator for me is the great infrastructure; particularly roads. We’re always amazed that we rarely see a pothole; even on old vineyard roads originally meant for tractors and donkeys, yet not a pothole to behold. Plus thanks to the French environmental laws, most lakes and rivers are crystal clear. If I tried swimming in the Chicago River I’d probably grow a 3rd eyeball on my forehead. The list is endless and then there’s HEALTHCARE!!🇫🇷❤️ In the U.S. you’re one cancer diagnosis away from bankruptcy; here, it’s about your well-being not profiteering. Night & Day really. A fun post would be about getting a French bank account (😎) and based on several comments here, people want to understand how to transfer money from states for first home purchase. Anyway, keep up the great work!!!

[@jmbig]

Personnellement j'ai un forfait free ... La box + le Téléphone portable ... La box c'est 29.99 E et le portable c'est 15.99 E par mois ... Et tout est en illimité ...

[@maryfurman698]

Question . Can you set up your French phone in English? I’m not tech savvy. I worry about text messages in French.

[@aliciabaylina6275]

It’s not a “French” phone. You would use your U.S. iPhone or Android phone in France with either an e-Sim or a physical SIM card and the language settings wouldn’t change. But even if you were to buy say an iPhone in France you can easily change the language to any language in a matter of seconds on your Settings.

[@mattrodrigues8738]

I use Tello and pay $5 a month to keep my US line. My main line is my French number, but I can choose which number I want to call from and I get a small amount of minutes / texts a month. I use Free and it's great.

[@mattrodrigues8738]

Banking-wise you should just use Revolut or Wise. No need to go thru the whole kiosk process.

[@BaguetteBound]

There's a reason we don't connect our wise account to auto debit billing here in France. We'll talk about that in a future banking video.

[@BaguetteBound]

We haven't heard of Tello, thanks for mentioning another option. Is there an advantage to it over google voice that makes it valuable to pay for?

[@rickconnors4099]

@@BaguetteBoundLooks like Tello would charge for international roaming in France.

[@mattrodrigues8738]

@@BaguetteBound ooh, I'm interested ! Revolut has been working perfectly for me.

[@maritageorgelawson5814]

Gradually change authentication codes to be sent by email at those few providers (ex. social security) who cannot text an international phone number - have codes sent via email rather than text.

[@4U2C-xq9wt]

Google voice also collects data that includes conversations that will be used later and can also be used against you and without knowledge or permission. Some people wont care, but they should. Remember... with google, you're the product and you will be sold to any and everyone.

[@Al_Bx]

If you have to take up a "locked in" plan because you need to buy that phone, don't worry much: french/european law lets you change provider anyway within six month, you just have to pay a fee corresponding roughly to what's left to pay for the device. And those plans never exceed 2 years. After that you're free to go.

[@CJ-Photo]

I've heard from others that Google will cancel your number if they see you're outside of the US for an extended period of time. But maybe not if you pay to port?

[@rickconnors4099]

I believe it is Google Fi that limits your time outside the US.

[@TheSchnoof]

I would be interested to know a few things: when the Google voice app rings, can you actually answer the call and talk? Or does it go directly to voicemail? And can you make calls from the Google voice app to people in the US? From what I could find online recently it appeared that you could only port your number to the Google voice app for voicemail purposes. Also, when somebody in the US calls your US phone number that has been ported to Google voice, what does the ringtone sound like? In other words, will the caller know that you are in a foreign country based on the ringtone?

[@BaguetteBound]

We can make and receive calls with Google voice. The ring ton on the callers end does not sound different when we've called each other using the app.

[@TheSchnoof]

@@BaguetteBound thank you so much for this video and for your reply. It is very helpful.

[@TheSchnoof]

One more question: when you make a call from the Google voice app, does the caller ID show your US number that you ported to google voice? I’m asking these questions because we want to remain in contact with our business associates without them knowing we are no longer based in the US. Or I should say we will no longer be based in the US once we move to France. Those types of calls we can easily make from our home office on Wi-Fi. For family and friends we would use our French cell phone.

[@TruthLove333]

So I don't need a Skype account after porting my cell number to Google Voice, to receive 2 factor authentication and or make calls back to the states, while on wifi? Idk why some other Americans were making videos as this being one of the steps.

[@homecd]

They should use signal anyway

[@SPT1]

Why am I watching this, I'm french FFS :D

[@BaguetteBound]

😂 merci

[@toots4205]

If its 60 euros total does that mean theres none of the ridiculous hidden tack on service fees? How refreshing that'd be

[@BaguetteBound]

Yes!

[@skullandbones1832]

👍

[@psour33]

During your search, If you find the phone number of our next government, please tell us. Because we lost the previous one for more than 50 days. 🤣🤣🤣

[@cherrimathieu286]

One mistake, avoid SFR at all cost ! They are horrible and block you if you need to disengage your subscriptions. They are loosing tons of clients due to this poor client services and may be in bankruptcy soon 😅

[@Francebound2024]

What about phones that need eSIMs?

[@mattmcmullen8244]

I just want to echo this: IPhones bought in the US in the past couple years do not have sim slots, they’re esim only. Can French cell providers handle this? Otherwise it may be necessary to buy your iPhone in France, because even the same models bought in France will have sim slots.

[@Francebound2024]

@@mattmcmullen8244, When I watched further, I saw they mentioned the Orange Tourist (good to start with) where you can get an eSIM.

[@stephanerouvery8835]

With Free mobile (the only I know), you can choose physical sim or eSIM. For physical sim : in case you bought your phone with a plan, check if it’s not locked.

[@undercovercucumber7345]

@@mattmcmullen8244 All providers offer e-sim

[@heidi6473]

@@stephanerouvery8835 Any idea if the suggestion in the video for setting up cell service on arrival at a Free store kiosk (enter an address, but don't need proof of address) works to get an eSIM? Thank you!

[@cmolodiets]

you didn't talk about pre-payed sim cards to "cover the gap"

[@henrimichelpierreplana4332]

And your french cell plan will work all across the EU, without rooming fees...

[@jcdenton6434]

you guys not understanding how people would rather use the phone over using Whatsapp reminds me of how I don't understand how people are still using Whatsapp when Signal is around.

[@inspirational_moments_4u]

Omg $20???? 😮😮😮😮😮

[@gualime]

For 20 years with Free with a package of €30/month for the Phone/TV/Internet package. Despite inflation, the subscription has never changed. In addition to that, Free offers a €0/month subscription for mobile phones if you are a customer. So €30 for landline telephone, internet, TV and mobile. Avoid SFR, this company scammed my Korean girlfriend.

[@chucku00]

Drahi aime bien ses clients... enfin leur fric surtout !

[@hede1574]

0€ pour le mobile, mais très limité en data. Je paye 15 € pour la version illimitée.

[@Sonorus52]

Agreed, Free is a great deal and very reliable. I have gigbit fibre+tv package and 1 tb storage about the same cost. Installed just a few days after making the subscription

[@christianc9894]

Les tarifs des forfaits en France sont peu couteux, et pourtant nos fournisseurs se portent bien et font des bénéfices. Moralité : vous vous faites arnaquer aux USA.

[@BaguetteBound]

☝️

[@asterixky]

Yes we know lol, but we are too stupid to do anything about it. Capitalism is King. Some people think, if we go the French way, we become Communist.

[@nicolavetter9071]

I am so grateful for the content you produce here. It’s very specific and this video is very timely as I am right now looking to get the phone issue sorted out. Our shipping company is getting our stuff at the end of this month and we will leave Denver for good. Luckily, I am a dual citizen and still have a German phone number to work with. We are looking into three areas to relocate to: Alsace, South of Lyon, and East of Bordeaux - who knows, our paths may cross … Any tips on avoiding overwhelm while searching for the best place to settle?

[@szk4023]

Les États-Unis sont 20 fois plus grands que la France et la population américaine est presque 5 fois plus nombreuse. Le coût de la vie est également généralement plus élevé aux États-Unis. Les infrastructures de réseau et les coûts de main-d'œuvre ne sont pas les mêmes, donc le prix des services ne peut pas être le même.

[@christianc9894]

@@szk4023Allons, tout le monde sait que la raison principale des tarifs USA c'est la nécessité de rémunérer grassement l'actionnaire.

[@vincentvegeta6172]

Avoid SFR. 3 others are ok

[@arthurmougin]

French here, let me explain why lock-in contracts are soo rare, and data prices so low here in France : Freemobile. In 2012, they arrived and carpet bombed the market with extremely agressive prices. One of the plans was actually 2 euros for something super decent for kids like me at the time, and one at 20 euros for everything unlimited and good data for the time. All of it with a no strings attached mentality. Before that, everything was pretty much how americans now it i suppose They were a hit so big everyone had to align, and now i can enjoy 350gig for the price of 10 croissants. And be done with it whenever i want.