Internet abroad

Afternoon all. Am off for the annual family jaunt to France at the end of July, but this year the place we are heading to does not have wi-fi or plug-in Internet access. As I will be away when we kick off the new season on August 7th, I will need to get my Saints fix via the web and was wondering if anybody had any ideas about how best to do this. Dongle? Mobile bolt on? Don't know what coverage is like down there (Bergerac in s-w France) but any suggestons / advice gratefully received.

Afternoon all. Am off for the annual family jaunt to France at the end of July, but this year the place we are heading to does not have wi-fi or plug-in Internet access. As I will be away when we kick off the new season on August 7th, I will need to get my Saints fix via the web and was wondering if anybody had any ideas about how best to do this. Dongle? Mobile bolt on? Don't know what coverage is like down there (Bergerac in s-w France) but any suggestons / advice gratefully received.

I'm on T Mobile and was able to connect on my phone whilst in France, Belgium and Germany this year but had to pay extra for it. They redirect you when you log on and it's added to your monthly bill.

It can be hideously expensive too, unless you pre-arrange something with your operator first. Most have some sort of bolt-on package for exactly this type of situation.

It can be hideously expensive too, unless you pre-arrange something with your operator first. Most have some sort of bolt-on package for exactly this type of situation.

Indeed, when I found out what they wanted i didn't use it!

Yes, I spent 5 days in Guernsey and had a little mobile surf, my bill came to £440 for the 5 days. So I suggest you take a walk to a wifi zone.

Many countries I visit have "pay as you go" mobile data services. You buy a local sim card and a top-up voucher. Don't know if that works in Europe.

Ask someone nicely on here to text you regular match-day updates.....

For example: "14:37 - Matchday programmes withdrawn. We're all doomed"

If you are looking at a mobile broadband dongle, bear in mind the hideous cost. I had an O2 dongle and it cost me more than £480 for 4 days in Spain. This was with a bolt-on. Have now moved to Vodafone. As long as you are on another Vodafone network (SFR in France) they will cap your usage at £8.50 per day plus VAT for 50 MB - enough for what you need. Every additional 50 MB is another £8.50.

The other option is to go onto ebay, buy an unlocked dongle (should cost you around £30) and then go into a mobile shop in France (Carphone have lots of shops there called "The Phone House"), get the best local top up SIM deal you can on data and use that. As long as the dongle is unlocked, it will work fine.

PS From 1st July there are new EU rules on roaming which cap the cost.

Don't all McDonald's have wifi access (they do over here)? Sure there will be one in Bergerac (lovely part of the world btw).

Don't all McDonald's have wifi access (they do over here)? Sure there will be one in Bergerac (lovely part of the world btw).

There is indeed a McD in Bergerac - next to the Auchan Supermarket. I can't vouch for the wifi though

If you are looking at a mobile broadband dongle, bear in mind the hideous cost. I had an O2 dongle and it cost me more than £480 for 4 days in Spain. This was with a bolt-on. Have now moved to Vodafone. As long as you are on another Vodafone network (SFR in France) they will cap your usage at £8.50 per day plus VAT for 50 MB - enough for what you need. Every additional 50 MB is another £8.50.

 

The other option is to go onto ebay, buy an unlocked dongle (should cost you around £30) and then go into a mobile shop in France (Carphone have lots of shops there called "The Phone House"), get the best local top up SIM deal you can on data and use that. As long as the dongle is unlocked, it will work fine.

 

PS From 1st July there are new EU rules on roaming which cap the cost.

Sorry I missed the bit about the unlocked dongle in my earlier post. I've got a 3G card built into my laptop. Just pop a sim card in and it connects. It's not tied to any particular networks.

There are a number of McDonalds in Bergerac and according to their website they all have free wi-fi!

McDonalds Locations in France

Click on the red bar with 'TROUVER UN RESTAURANT McDONALDS'

Then in the next pop-up window enter which town you're staying in in the 'VILLE' box and then click on the red bar with 'RECHERCHER' this will take you to a page with a map and the nearest McDonalds to the town you entered. The symbol for Wi-Fi is a 'M' in a circle, sorry if i'm being simplistic but i have no idea of your understanding of French

There are a number of McDonalds in Bergerac and according to their website they all have free wi-fi!

 

McDonalds Locations in France

 

Click on the red bar with 'TROUVER UN RESTAURANT McDONALDS'

 

Then in the next pop-up window enter which town you're staying in in the 'VILLE' box and then click on the red bar with 'RECHERCHER' this will take you to a page with a map and the nearest McDonalds to the town you entered. The symbol for Wi-Fi is a 'M' in a circle, sorry if i'm being simplistic but i have no idea of your understanding of French

I'm a French teacher and lived over there for many years, so I should be OK ;-) Seriously though, thanks Swannymere and everybody else for all the advice; much appreciated.