[RDC]

I am planning on traveling to France this xmass season and was wondering - how is GPRS coverage there?

I know if I roam with Tmobile - I am going to pay a hefty data fee, but what other options do I have?

Can I get like Orange SIM there and get online with their GPRS coverage?

Has anyone tried it? Thanks...

[Workingmen]

I have used Cingular International coverage partners in France and GPRS is available almost everywhere there. I have not tried to use a local SIM with data plan.

[vincentnyc]

i had cingular too when i travel to france this summer. i was using the 7100. And when it won't connect in france, i just had to remove the battery and put it back it in and it works beautifully. i basically had to remove battery everytime when i travel between different country like england, amsterdam, germany, italy, switzerland, and france. that was a tip from the cingular cs support. it automatically log into whatever is the local network there.

i just pay an extra $20 for the unlimited blackberry international on top of my current domestic $45 unlimited which came to about $65. then when came back to usa, i just call them back to cancel my international bb plan and went back to my $45 bb unlimited bb plan.

now i only pay $29.99 for unlimited bb bis.

[NJBlackBerry]

T-Mobile roaming works great in France.

You can not get your e-mail with a local SIM card/GPRS plan. It must have a BlackBerry Data Plan...

[RDC]

email I dont care much about, its internet is what I needed

[NJBlackBerry]

Without a BlackBerry Data Plan all you will get is voice and SMS. No data. No Internet.

[bukzin]

I used my Pearl all over Paris and on the high speed (TGV) train
down to Cannes.

Near perfect signal everywhere. Took pix and emailed them
from the moving train, sweet!

Even had coverage in the Paris Metro underground.

US carriers, wake up!

[cford31]

Originally Posted by bukzin

I used my Pearl all over Paris and on the high speed (TGV) train
down to Cannes.

Near perfect signal everywhere. Took pix and emailed them
from the moving train, sweet!

Even had coverage in the Paris Metro underground.

US carriers, wake up!

Did you use the International plan from Cingular and then cancel it when you got back? They have now changed this so that you have to sign a 1 year contract

Or did you buy a different plan while you were there with a local provider? If you did this then I am VERY interested in the details.

[takeshi]

Originally Posted by NJBlackBerry

You can not get your e-mail with a local SIM card/GPRS plan. It must have a BlackBerry Data Plan...

Even if you do get a Blackberry data plan it's a bit of a hassle if you're a BIS user as BIS is unique to each carrier. You would have to delete your current BIS account (or temporarily transfer to another BB that isn't already set up for BIS), set up a new BIS account with the local carrier and then reverse the process when you get back.

If email doesn't matter it's not such a big deal but you're not likely to find a BB data plan offered on a prepaid SIM.

[david9962000]

The best in France is Orange FR,I would do a manual search and stay on it.If you leave it in auto network search it go from 1 network to another.
SFR is not bad too.

[bukzin]

Originally Posted by cford31

Did you use the International plan from Cingular and then cancel it when you got back? They have now changed this so that you have to sign a 1 year contract

Or did you buy a different plan while you were there with a local provider? If you did this then I am VERY interested in the details.

No, I had Cingular add the international plan for my trip, then cancelled
when back to California.

It was a bit spendy, but very useful and easy to do.


Are you sure they no longer offer that service on a temp basis?

Bukzin

[shona67]

Originally Posted by RDC

I am planning on traveling to France this xmass season and was wondering - how is GPRS coverage there?

I know if I roam with Tmobile - I am going to pay a hefty data fee, but what other options do I have?

Can I get like Orange SIM there and get online with their GPRS coverage?

Has anyone tried it? Thanks...

France Coverage Map (GSM & 3G)
GSM Roaming - France