Just a quick one I don’t know whether this has been asked already here if so apologies to all. I am due to possibly start international long haul runs throughout France and was wondering if any of you had any tips for a broadband / internet dongle I could use that would give me good internet in France as well as UK so as to skype / msn my wife and kids etc? I would use it whilst I am away and also for emails and so on but don’t wish to pay to much as they say. I am also wondering on TV fits aerials dishes etc as could relieve some lonely nights with some home (UK) free sat tv. Any help / advice would be greatly appreciated. Stay safe and thanks in advance.
You will have to buy a dongle in France from a French phone shop. Most services have free wifi and on the odd occasion I have got a poor ,but workable signal by being parked close to the main building. I have a small digital tv , which can autotune wherever you stop, it obviously will only pick up French programmes, although they do screen the odd English speaking programmes. I usually downad stuff off BBC I player or 4OD to watch. Sorry that’s all I can say, unless others know different.
440Mopar:
You will have to buy a dongle in France from a French phone shop. Most services have free wifi and on the odd occasion I have got a poor ,but workable signal by being parked close to the main building. I have a small digital tv , which can autotune wherever you stop, it obviously will only pick up French programmes, although they do screen the odd English speaking programmes. I usually downad stuff off BBC I player or 4OD to watch. Sorry that’s all I can say, unless others know different.
Chris , no problem, if anybody has other suggestions , I would love to hear them. From what ive looked into, with the dongle, you need to have a French bank account and billing address to take out a contract. This is obviously not possible. Maybe a pole with a sat dish on is the way to go ala, our eastern bloc colleages. I will watch replys with interest.
Many thanks for all the advice, I am with O2 so will have to enquire ref internet in France etc and see if like 3 they include it on my contract and if again as stated like 3 they don’t charge for data roaming but will see. On the TV front as previous posts I was thinking of dish on a pole or attached to wing mirror as I have seen a few times but will await to see if there is any other helpful tips ■■■.
I Skype my wife when I have free wifi in the services, bit embarrasing at first, but everyone does it and half of em cant understand you anyway. Might look into the 3 network.
440Mopar:
I Skype my wife when I have free wifi in the services, bit embarrasing at first, but everyone does it and half of em cant understand you anyway. Might look into the 3 network.
Yes I was thinking of skype etc at the service areas free wifi areas etc but for laybys etc I will also look into the 3 thing if O2 cant do anything for me cheers for advice so far
Don’t know if the rules have changed but a few years back I bought a pay as you go dongle in France was great for the first month then on going to top it up found that I needed a French address despite it just being pay as you go, and that I should have registered it when I bought it
I’ve got a pay as you go dongle on the 3 network, as m4rky says above there’s no roaming charges if you’re in one of their feel at home countries (France, Italy, USA, Australia and a few others).
Top up costs are £10 for 1gb or £15 3gb valid for 1 month.
Don’t bother with French sim or dongles. 3 network in the UK is offering free internet and calls while travelling in Europe. That’s what I do and it’s brilliant. No extra charges
I use Vodafone Euro Traveller on my phone. It costs £3/day, but that includes all your calls, texts and data. If I want to use the laptop, I just tether it to the phone. It works all over Europe, where as 3 only works in certain countries.
No need for racist comments such as a Pole on a satelite and a dish on a Pole.
Mcdonalds has free Wifi.
The Romanian and Bulgarian drivers have Sputnik space station dishes mounted on the roof of their cabs while weekended or waiting for reloads.
If parked by EE drivers , be warned, you will get no sleep due to their engines being fired up every half an hour all night and all day.
If there 100 EE trucks you can imagine the noise as they all get flat batteries.
To prevent that,engines running off and on.
On 3 network is free to use internet in France and calls are charged like you local rate back home. I have used 3 in most of Europe without any surcharge or surprises
toby1234abc:
No need for racist comments such as a Pole on a satelite and a dish on a Pole.
Mcdonalds has free Wifi.
The Romanian and Bulgarian drivers have Sputnik space station dishes mounted on the roof of their cabs while weekended or waiting for reloads.
If parked by EE drivers , be warned, you will get no sleep due to their engines being fired up every half an hour all night and all day.
If there 100 EE trucks you can imagine the noise as they all get flat batteries.
To prevent that,engines running off and on.
Oh change the record Toby. Same old ■■■■ comes out everytime anyone asks advice about going anywhere south of Yeovil !
I have a portable sat kit and it doesn’t need the engine running every 30 mins but can be a bit of a pain to setup. Don’t normally bother if just for a night or I am on a 9.
With regards the internet, as other have said , most services/ stops have wifi but I use the Vodafone euro traveller which caps my spend to £3 per day. But if you’re only doing UK - FR Three may be a better bet. Enjoy yourself!
