2019 was the year of the rapid development of eSIM in France. International operators such as KnowRoaming and Stork Mobile were the first to offer their plans, and local operators were actively following them.
Whatever the purpose of your trip to France, you probably want to spend every minute productively. This article will tell you about cheap eSIM plans and how to save your time instead of searching and buying an expensive local SIM card. Thanks to eSIM, you don't need to go to mobile operator stores or to spend the entire balance on expensive roaming.
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eSIM appeared several years ago and made the life of subscribers much easier. eSIM allows you to instantly change your communications service provider, downloading all the required data remotely directly from an operator's website or a mobile application. You don't need to go to a store, to conclude a contract and to change a SIM card physically – you can buy a plan online, immediately download and
activate it on your smartphone or tablet.
Nowadays, the market is in a bustle, adjusting to new realities. Local operators hinder the development of eSIM because their subscribers can easily switch to competitors. There are difficulties with legislation as well: in some countries, it requires the use of card identifiers in contracts, which eSIM does not have.
eSIM in France
There are no legal regulations that would hinder the development of eSIM in France, so we can expect that soon all mobile operators will have these plans.
In 2019, 10T Tech Limited, an eSIM development company based in Hong Kong, and MySIM, an innovative global roaming service provider in France, launched the country's first digital eSIM traveler-focused service. And the first local mobile operator to provide eSIM plans in France was SRF. So, now the mobile Internet and calling plans can be purchased from both local and global companies.
eSIM.Ninja will help you to find cheap eSIM plans for your trip to France. Specify the duration of the trip and the desired amount of mobile data. The app will find the best offers for you.
Among the main advantages of eSIM are:
- eSIM is convenient to use for international travel. It's possible to switch between the plans of several mobile operators without the need to change SIM cards.
- Quick activation – add the data plan in advance, and it will be available immediately after crossing the border after activation.
- You no longer need to use several devices for calls and Internet access.
- eSIM is safe and reliable. No need to be afraid of mechanical damage: the module is integrated into the device.
- Cheap eSIM plans. Significant savings on communication services, including international roaming and mobile data.
- eSIM makes it possible to quickly find a lost or stolen device. Thieves won’t be able to pull out the SIM card, and the device will remain connected to the Internet.
French mobile operators
The mobile market is competitive in France. The list of the market majors includes:
- SFR (founded in 1987)
- Orange (founded in 1994)
- Bouygues Télécom (founded in 1994)
- Free Mobile (founded in 2007)
There are smaller but still popular mobile operators in the country as well:
- LeFrenchMobile
- Réglo Mobile
- Lebara Mobile
- La Poste Mobile
- Lycamobile
- Syma Mobile
Currently, eSIM in France is provided by two major local mobile operators – Orange and SFR. It is expected that soon the technology will be adapted by Bouygues Telecom as well.
Mobile data and voice plans in France
Mobile communication in France is expensive despite the high competition among providers. For example, Bouygues offers travelers to purchase a SIM card for 39.9 Euros. In this case, you will get:
- Unlimited conversations and SMS in France and Europe.
- 20 GB/15 GB of mobile data in France and European countries, respectively.
- Free minutes for international calls.
- 30 days of plan duration.
Orange offers the "Orange Holiday" plan, which will cost 40 Euros. You will get a French phone number, 120 minutes of calls, 1000 text messages worldwide, 20 GB of mobile data for use all over Europe. The plan is valid for 14 days.
It's possible to save some money with SFR. A traveler's card for 20 Euros includes 10 GB of mobile data, unlimited calls, and messages for 14 days.
Emergency numbers in France
- The unified emergency number of the European Union is 112 (calls while in roaming are free).
- Emergency medical services – 15.
- Police – 17.
- Fire services – 18.
Your phone is stolen?
Find My iPhone or Find My Device (for Android devices) functions are provided for the search of smartphones with eSIM. We recommend activating them upon purchasing a gadget. In case of theft, contact the police and inform that the search function is activated on your device and that the criminals won't be able to bypass it because it's impossible to pull out eSIM – it is soldered in the device.
- Other popular travel destinations with eSIM data plans