Paris English Forums

Does anyone have suggestions for using a cell phone in Paris?
I will be traveling with my girlfriend and she needs to keep in touch with her kids back home. I have done some research, but every option seems really expensive. She has Sprint service, she gets virtually no customer service from them.

Yopu need a GSM tri-band phone to be able to call back and forth.

If you are from the USA, you will need a phone that supports European GSM standards 1900/850 MHz

There are cheap mobile phones with this standards, so don't worry about. As soon as you get there buy one of these and a prepaid SIM card. That's all your options, I think...

Don't count on CDMA. There is no CDMA mobile service provider. I know USA has many of them, that's why I'm just telling you it won't work. GSM only

I would recommend you to buy a cheap cell phone package in one of the main operators companies. SFR, Bouygues telecom or Orange. They have package starting from 49,90€ or so. You will have a new cell(nothing extraordinary but it will make the job , a new plug and a french number and people can call you on it without you having to be roaming with your phone from state. The minute cost around 0,35ct a minute and when you're out of credit you just go in any tabac and ask for a "recharge" (10-15-20-25-30-35-50€)

Hope this help

Get yourself an "Skype" account and/or a Skype number - and call for free.
(or some other internet-telephony solution)