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Micro SIM card availability in Europe

Prasius

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The UK is simple, pretty much any high street mobile phone store willl have them - Orange, Vodafone, carphone warehouse, 3.........

Only some do PAYG and on ipad activation though. If you go to the UK Aple store online there is more info there.
 

Vmatti

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Orange has productized prepaid package for iPad in Spain. I used it during my holiday trip over there and it worked fine.
Package cost 20eur, unlimited 3G use 3.5eur per day.
 

ronsmsn

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UK & Orange

I bought my iPad with Orange Pay As You Go 3G, which works great in the Uk and at 2 Pounds per Mbit acceptable for occasional use.

Just took my iPad to Switzerland and found it didn't work. Was informed by Orange that they don't have a roaming partner there. My tip is check that you can roam or look to acquiring a sim card in each country.
 

Big samm

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I think all carries who sales the iPhones 4 in Europe has to have micro sim or else no services... most of them will carry the iPad also...
 

lilikulapa

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3g microsim in switzerland

you can get a microsim for your 3G in each swisscom shop.
sFr20.- a month (prepaid) and it's 300MB to use.
 
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lwilson1313

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Micro SIM availbaility in Europe

I assume if I purchase the prepaid SIM in Spain for the iPad it is usable in France and the UK as well. Think the Spanish pricing is very attractiev. Anyone know?
 

Prasius

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Seriously - do not data roam. Its hugely expensive. Different country, different SIM. It will be cheaper than data roaming, I promise you.
 

Vmatti

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Ipad13

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Apple iPad 3G Micro Sim Card in France *

The way to get your Apple iPad 3G going in France is this way. Go to any FSR store in France. *Some stores are out of stock. I was finally successful at the FSR store in Paris at the Montparnasse Building which has the best and quickest view of all of Paris. *Apple and Orange do NOT carry them, contrary to what I have read on blogs. Do not go to phone stores selling FSR *phone packages like The Phone House and fnac. *You will have to give them a copy of your driver's license. *They have a package of 3 days for 9,90€ ( including sim), 6€ everyday after. Perfect for tourists. Also, you can keep your account active for business travelers as you can mail in form that comes with your sim with (another) copy of your driver's license. *Finally, after you slip the micro sim card in, you must go to Settings>Cellular Data>APN and enter websfr, then reboot. *You will be up immediately. Coverage is weak in some buildings but excellent for google maps and getting around Paris.*
**
 
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lwilson1313

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So as I understand it from all the helpful posts on micro sim card use in Europe it is country specific and cards should be purchased separately.

Data roaming is very expensive.

Fair?
 
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lwilson1313

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Micro SIM cards in Europe

Please explain what a FSR store is in France. Lived there for many years, but have not been in Paris for several years
 

davesmall

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My experience obtaining an iPad microsim card in France. Here is my story.

1. Called AT&T. They have an international data plan that costs $200 for 200MB. Yes you read that right. It's outrageous but not as bad as regular roaming charges.

2. Emailed Orange France (France Telecom) and they told me they could provide a min sim card and 2 GB data for 39 Euros (one month). OK fine.

3. Arrived in France and immediately visited the Orange Boutique in St Jean de Luz. No one there could speak much English. The one salesman who could speak a little English told me that the 2GB data plan for 39 Euros is only available to someone with a French credit card. They wouldn't take my American credit cards or cash (Euros). Struck out there.

4. Next day went to another Orange Boutique this time in Bayonne. There was a woman there who spoke flawless English (but she was the only one). What's more, she hadn't handled an iPad so she took an interest in helping me. No one in the store knew much about iPad data plans. After several phone calls she learned that it is true about the French credit card for the 2GB plan. The reason is that this plan is not prepaid but has monthly billing. Fortunately, she found one plan that is prepaid. I could have that one. It was 8 Euros for the first day (unlimited) and then 10 MB before it has to be refilled. The refill that best fit my need was 15 Euros for 200 MB good for one month. She was able to install the mini sim card but couldn't do the refill on the same day. I had to do that after the 10 MB was used up. I was now up and running with a French Sim card.

5. Next day the internet stopped working. Hmmm. Guessed that my 10 MB was used up. No messages on the screen. I called the toll free French phone number they gave me for ordering a recharge. Got a recorded message in French. No option for English. Out of luck.

6. Went to a French Tourist office in St Jean Pied de Port where I was fortunate to find a nice lady who spoke perfect English and was willing to help me. She called the recharge phone number and she was able to speak with a service rep. She then informed me that I couldn't recharge over the phone with my credit card. Instead I had to go to a tobacco shop or a magazine stand and purchase a 15 Euro recharge ticket, then call back.

7. Fortunately there was a magazine stand across the street from the tourist office. I went there, pointed to a written description of the 15 Euro Orange recharge and the clerk recognized it immediately. I paid the 15 Euros and the clerk printed a cash register receipt with an authorization number.

8. Back to the tourist office. My lady once again called the Orange iPad recharge phone number and again spoke with the service rep. She read the number off the printed cash register receipt and the number of my iPad sim card. Voila, they recharged the iPad and I'm now back in business (at least until the 200 mb runs out and I need another recharge). And now I know the drill.

9. Whew!
 

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