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I am posting this from an Aire on the Ile de Re via my new Auchan USB 'dongle', so I'm glad to report that it is possible to make a PAYG mobile internet connection in France. It wasn't totally straightforward, however:
Initially I bought the 'Hyper@' Sim card at the Boulogne branch of Auchan for €29.90. I had to provide my passport and an address in France (I used a friend's - they were OK with that). That evening however I couldn't get the card to work on in my unlocked Nokia. Reading the instructions (afterwards of course!), it specifically states that the Sim can only be used with the software supplied with the USB modem. So why sell the card without the modem in the first place? Answers on a postcard to...
So today I went to the Auchan branch in St Nazaire, and persuaded them to take another €70 to provide the Auchan dongle for the same price as the dongle/card package. And, as you can see, it works.
Not cheap though; apart from the initial costs (which includes 50MB) an additional 50MB top-up costs €25. But at least there is now a workable solution for France.
Next week Spain - and an attempt to purchase a Yoigo Sim card...
The following members of MHF thanked philwaring for this posting
I'm going to France next week, and was planning on buying
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glad to see you have it working...
I think this modem could be the same as the three one in the UK (Huawei E220)? does it have any referance to this company on the modem/paperwork/software?? Is so these are able to be unlocked, so when you can use a 3 sim in it for the UK/Italy on PAYG. Possibly the Yoigo???
Spain is more tricky, I too have spotted the Yoigo card.
Please let me know how you get on, after 2/3 weeks in France we too are heading to Spain.
Have a great trip...
Wilse
The following members of MHF thanked wilse for this posting
Thanks for the info, why do they need a French Address?
Trev.
Hi
The Italian retailers also need your Italian tax number.
I assume this is to prove who you are when buying the phone, and could be used to trace you in the event of an accident, and assist the police with their enquiries for other matters. Perfectly sensible to me.
The Auchan system is not cheap, but, no doubt a price war will errupt. I know that E LeClerc supermartket are on with something similar at the moment.
Back to Italy for a while as a comparision, a dongle will cost about 200 euro, but access is as little as 8 euro per month.
Russell
I also think that we need a definitive translation of the tariff for the Aucahn version.
Last edited by Rapide561 on Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:07 am; edited 2 times in total ______________________________________________________________ Never been here before
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The following members of MHF thanked Rapide561 for this posting
I'm going to France next week, and was planning on buying
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glad to see you have it working...
I think this modem could be the same as the three one in the UK (Huawei E220)? does it have any referance to this company on the modem/paperwork/software?? Is so these are able to be unlocked, so when you can use a 3 sim in it for the UK/Italy on PAYG. Possibly the Yoigo???
Spain is more tricky, I too have spotted the Yoigo card.
Please let me know how you get on, after 2/3 weeks in France we too are heading to Spain.
Have a great trip...
Wilse
Hi
My Italian dongle uses a WIND Sim card. The dongle is locked - so I am told - to WIND and seemingly cannot be unlocked - I have tried, but, I am still convinced it can be used.
If I put a T mobile SIM in it, I can use it to send TEXT messages, but it will not connect to the net. That suggests to me the thing is not totally locked and will therefore need it's settings adjusting or something.
I do also have a UK Vodafone datacard that is unlocked and was sold as such on ebay. That datacard will connect to the net using my Italian sim or indeed my T mobile one.
Here is a pic of the Italian dongle - it is a Huawei 220.
Russell
______________________________________________________________ Never been here before
I´m intrigued, I´m unsure
I´m searching for more
I´ve got something that´s all mine
I´ve got something that´s all mine
Take me somewhere I can breathe
I´ve got so much to see
This is where I want to be
In a place I can call mine
In a place I can call mine
The following members of MHF thanked Rapide561 for this posting
Sorry to hijack this thread, but if you have a Huawei 220 I think you can get it unlocked...
Here is a quote from another website...
"To unlock the E220 you can use a program called “KK_MClient.exe” which you can find in the net. Then go to site Kulankendi.com and pay for 15 credits (15 Euros). Send them an email and ask for login and password details. Open the program connect Huawei modem (do not forget to remove sim card) and it will unlock it in about 15 seconds. Works great. You can also get the Firmware and Dashboard upgrades from their site, although there are later versions on other sites. The Firmware upgrade will boost the modem to 7.2 Mbps.
Completed mine today and am using it now, works great on PC or Mac. If you’re using OSx10.5 download programme “Huawei_DataCard_Drv_App_Intel.pkg” and use this to connect.
I'm thinking that I could just get one dongle and different PAYG sims??
Wilse
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I have my Vodafone datacard which is unlocked so that does the same job as an unlocked dongle. As I can use any old SIM in the datacard, it suggests that you should be able to use any old sim in the dongle.
I really would like a translation of the Auchan tariff though.
Russell
______________________________________________________________ Never been here before
I´m intrigued, I´m unsure
I´m searching for more
I´ve got something that´s all mine
I´ve got something that´s all mine
Take me somewhere I can breathe
I´ve got so much to see
This is where I want to be
In a place I can call mine
In a place I can call mine
The following members of MHF thanked Rapide561 for this posting
That was my taking on the wording too. However, the word TEMPS could mean time (as in hours used etc) or times (as in number of occasions).
One of the Italian tariffs lets you log in 20 occasions for 15 euro. Each occasion can be 24 hours!
Russell
______________________________________________________________ Never been here before
I´m intrigued, I´m unsure
I´m searching for more
I´ve got something that´s all mine
I´ve got something that´s all mine
Take me somewhere I can breathe
I´ve got so much to see
This is where I want to be
In a place I can call mine
In a place I can call mine
The following members of MHF thanked Rapide561 for this posting
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