In France, there are 4 main mobile operators: SFR , Orange , Free and Bouygues Telecom, which use their own capacities, towers and communication channels, as well as more than ten virtual operators that operate the Big Four networks.
It is worth remembering that there are virtually no prepaid SIM cards in the country and all operators provide a veiled contract connection in one form or another.
An exception to the rule is the international virtual operators Lebara and Lycamobile , whose SIM cards can be purchased at tobacco kiosks and small stores.
Tariffs of the main operators in France
| data volume | price | conditions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFR | 80 GB | 15 € * | 30 € from the 13th month |
| Free | 110 GB | 15 € * | 20 € from the 13th month with 5G |
| Orange | 80 GB | 15 € * | 30 € from the 13th month |
| Bouygues | 100 GB | 11 € * | 26 € from 13th to 24th month |
| 100 GB | 16 € | without obligations |
As you can see from the table, the cost of packages from major players is similar; the most attractive is the no-obligation tariff from Bouygues, the most expensive in the table at first glance and without reading into the conditions of the others.
What do smaller players from the galaxy of virtual operators offer?
Virtual operators in France
The main difference between virtual operators is that most of them offer no-obligation tariffs.
| data volume | price | notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED by SFR | 100 GB | 17 € | |
| prixtel.com | 50 GB | 10 € | ECO tariff |
| sosh.fr | 100 GB | 18 € | |
| mint-mobile.fr | 50 GB | 10 € | ECO tariff + 2 trees |
| youprice.fr | 60 GB | 8 € | |
| symamobile.com | 50 GB 100 GB | 10 € 12 € | |
| reglomobile.fr | 40 GB 60 GB | 7.95 € 9.95 € | by E.Leclerc |
| nrjmobile.fr | 50 GB 100 GB | 10 € 13 € | |
| lapostemobile.fr | 50 GB 100 GB | 10 € 15 € | |
| sourcemobile.fr | 40 GB | 10 € | ECO tariff |
As you can understand, the tariffs are very similar and almost all of them work on SFR networks. Locals love “eco” operators who plant trees and use only energy from renewable sources.
SIM cards with payment from a credit card in France
This segment includes only two players who sell SIM cards in tobacco kiosks and deliver them by mail, and also do not require a local bank account and an Iban indication when connecting.
| lebara.fr | lycamobile.fr | |
|---|---|---|
| 40 GB | 5.99 € | 5.99 € |
| 100 GB | 9.99 € | 9.99 € |
Other operators and networks in France
There are also a number of offers that position themselves as operators, but their subscriber base is relatively small. These include:
| GB/price | GB/price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| auchantelecom.fr | 50 GB / 10 € | sosh.fr | 100 GB / 18 € |
| coriolis.com | 50 GB / 10 € | keyyo.com | 100 GB / 13.9 € |
| afonemobile.fr | 100 GB / 15 € | simplus.fr | 30 GB / 12.50 € |
Contract connections are divided into two main types:
- contract with mandatory payment and minimum term
- contract with mandatory payment and no minimum term
The minimum period is usually one year. Many operators practice large discounts for the first year of the contract with a 1.5-3 times increase in price after a year.
Termination of the contract ahead of schedule is accompanied by a substantial penalty. Therefore, it is recommended to initially consider contracts “without obligations”.
Prepaid SIM cards in France
The so-called “Prepaid” option exists – these are tourist SIM cards from Orange , Free and others. They have little internet and are expensive. On Black Friday 2022, the cheapest prepaid SIM card was from La Poste Mobile, which offered 4GB of internet for 25 euros.