Cell Phone Rental for France

Should I rent or buy?

Standard GSM Cell Phone Rental Rates
	1-7 days	8-14 days	15-28 days	29-42 days	43-56 days
	$49.00*	$69.00*	$89.00*	$109.00*	$129.00*
*PLUS the price of (1) recharge voucher for initial talk credit ($29.00). 83 minutes making calls to the US or up to 79 minutes outgoing to French numbers. See per minute rates below!
OUT OF STOCK. Please click here for an alternative.

Compare prices with our Phone & SIM purchase packages for France .

Special Motorola V3 GSM Cell Phone Rental Rates
	1-7 days	8-14 days	15-28 days	29-42 days	43-56 days
	$69.00*	$89.00*	$109.00*	$129.00*	$149.00*
*PLUS the price of (1) recharge voucher for initial talk credit ($29.00). 83 minutes making calls to the US or up to 79 minutes outgoing to French numbers. See per minute rates below!
OUT OF STOCK. Please click here for an alternative.

Information and Talk Rates Chart

*Mobiho to Mobiho: the first 3 minutes of each call are free, then the rate is €0.29/min. You need to have credit to start a call.

You also get:

• A French number w/ FREE incoming calls from anywhere in the world!
• Domestic outgoing rates (calls in France): €0.29/min to another Mobiho cell. Calls to non-Mobiho cell customers are €0.39/min, and calls to French landlines are €0.19/min.
• International calls to US are €0.18/min. To Canada and most Western European countries, calls are €0.19/min.
• Calls to your voicemail are free (must have at least €1 or credit)
• Add more minutes by purchasing a recharge voucher from Cellular Abroad’s , toll free (US based) customer service center or at tobacco shops and magazine kiosks within France.
• Service on the Bouygues network (click for coverage map)
• No yearly contract, monthly charges, daily minimum charges, minimum minutes per call charges or credit checks
• Paris, Angers, Bordeaux, Brest, Calais, Cannes, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Le Mans, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, Reims, Rennes, Strasbourg, Toulon, Toulouse, AND more. Please click here to view Bouygues' interactive coverage map for France.

Please visit our France Pre-Paid SIM Card page for further information including exact rates.

Our Rental Packages
Our Country Specific rental packages include the rental of an unlocked GSM Tri-Band Phone and the purchase of a SIM card specific to your destination country. There are two phone rental packages available: The standard rental package features an unlocked Motorola Wx160 cell phone. Our Deluxe rental package features a Motorola V3 Razr cell phone. The V3 is recommend for people who prefer a slimmer phone and a larger display; additional features include digital camera and Bluetooth. Both phones are compact and light-weight. Please see below for pricing and details.

Click for photo of entire rental package All cell phone rentals include: A GSM cellular phone with a battery, fully charged and ready to go International plug adapters International 110-220 volt charger Phone box and User Guide Return ship label (from within US, Canadian customers please click here). We encourage you to return in the original box

If you receive your cellular rental missing any of the listed items, please contact us immediately.

France Prepaid Recharge Card only $29.00 for € 15 of talk time credit OUT OF STOCK. Save time by starting your stay in the France with an additional € 15 of talk time. Each of these recharges gives about 83 minutes of calls to the US/Canada or at least 79 minutes in France. Incoming calls are always free while in France.

Cellular Abroad Rental Service for France

Our cell phone rentals for France have been specifically tailored for the American or Canadian traveler going to France and in need of a reliable and low cost solution to make calls within France or calls back home. As the service is pay as you go, there are no contracts to sign nor bills to pay and ordering a phone rental for France is as easy as calling our toll free hot line or ordering online.

Not only are the rates superb (0.18 Euro cents a minute to call the US, free calls to your voicemail, plus unlimited free incoming calls) but the coverage, which is on the Bouygues Telecom network, is throughout France. The initial phone rental and SIM card package includes 83 minutes back to the US. If and when you need more talk time, you can either purchase it locally in France as the French locals do or utilize our toll free, US-based top up service. Just tell the representative how much call credit you need (available in increments of 15 Euros) and you will immediately have the call credit you need.

Important! If your trip to France is two weeks or longer, we recommend that you consider purchasing one of our France phone packages as purchasing includes free ground shipping and the total price will be equal to or less than renting a phone. Furthermore, you get a new phone that works in 200 countries, including the US and Canada. In fact, the majority of our customers prefer to purchase rather than rent a phone for France.

Dialing information

Please note: Once your SIM card has been activated, we cannot offer a refund.

Your French Cell Number to USA: 001 – area code – phone number
US to French Cell: 011 – Your French number
Your French Cell Number to France: Direct dial French number
France to Your French Cell Number: 0 – Your French phone number - (minus the 33 country code)

Important: US toll free numbers are not accessible from overseas. Be sure to get valid international numbers prior to your departure.

Please Note: There is no support for service when roaming outside of France

Activation

Rentals

• The SIM card has been installed
• Make sure your phone is charged and the menu settings are in English
• Your initial credit, and any additionally purchased credit, has been preloaded
• Your first outgoing call once in France activates the service

Phone Purchases

• The SIM card has been installed
• Make sure your phone is charged and the menu settings are in English
• Your initial credit has been preloaded
• Your first outgoing call once in France activates the service

SIM card only purchases
Snap out the SIM chip from the SIM card and insert the chip into your GSM Phone with the metal portion facing down as to make contact with the contact prongs.

• If the menu settings do not appear in English consult your phone manual to change the language setting
• If prompted for a PIN code the default PIN code is 1234
• The initial credit has been preloaded
• Your first outgoing call once in France activates the service

PIN and PUK Information
For rentals and phone package purchase the PIN has been deactivated. For SIM card only purchases the PIN code is 1234 and is located on the credit card sized casing surrounding the SIM card.

Voice Mail           
To access your voicemail messages:

• Dial 555 to go to your voicemail box. This is a free call.
• Messages will play in the order they were received. Dial 2 to erase, 3 to replay, or 4 to store the current message and listen to the next message.
• If there are no messages; dial 1 to listen to archived messages, dial 2 to change your personal greeting, and dial 3 to change your voice mail settings.

Checking Your Credit

• Dial 500 (toll free) to check your credit or ... (This service is in French. Press 1 to hear you current credit balance and when you credit expires)
• Send a blank text message (SMS) to 22213. You will receive an incoming text message with your balance. You will not be charged for balance inquiries.

Adding More Talk Time
You may add more talk time directly from Cellular Abroad. We offer 15 Euro recharge vouchers for $29. Alternatively, recharge vouchers are available to buy in different denominations locally within France. Go to http://www.mobiho.fr/ and select “Chercher un point de vente pres de chez vous” to locate recharge voucher retailers in France. This website is currently only available in French.

• The most convenient way is by calling Cellular Abroad 001 310-862-7100 or Toll Free from a landline at 00-800-3623-3333 (8am to 4pm PST, Monday through Saturday, English speaking reps) before as well as during your trip. We only carry the 15 Euro recharge voucher for $29.
• To add your talk time, Dial 500 (toll free) from your handset. This service is in French. Press 2 and enter the recharge code followed by the # sign to add your credit.
• Alternatively, you can send a text with your voucher code to 22213. You will be sent a free text with your balance update

Troubleshooting
If you are unable to make or receive calls switch networks on your phone.  Consult your phone’s manual.  The steps will be like these:

• Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Available Network/Change Network > Search
• Select a different network carrier than the one currently shown.

If you are receiving no reception bars, emergency calls only, SOS, or no service
check your phones band setting:  Consult your phone’s manual. The steps will be like these:

• Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Network Setup >Band
• Make sure you select 900/1800

Calling Rates
All incoming calls are free regardless of origin.

• Domestic Outgoing : € 0.19-39/minute
• International calls (US, Canada, & Europe): € 0.18/minute
• Calls to other Mobiho customers are FREE for the first 3 minutes, then € 0.29/minute thereafter.

Text Rates

• Incoming – Free  
• Outgoing Domestic - € 0.10/message  
• Outgoing Int. - € 0.17/message

Customer Service
For Mobiho Customer Care, dial 0805 100 441 or 543 from your handset while in France (charges may apply).

To reach Cellular Abroad for recharges, billing or hardware support:

• From a landline, (NOT from payphones, mobile phones, and majority of hotels) Cellular Abroad can be reached 8am to 4pm PST, Monday - Friday with English customer support and recharge services by dialing this number: 00-800-3623-3333. Please note that some hotels may charge for toll free calls. You may reach us from your cell phone at +1-310-862-7100 (not a toll free call) or via email at support@cellularabroad.com.

Service Life
The initial 15 Euro credit on the SIM is valid for 15 days after your first call. Each additional credit voucher will push back the credit expiration. The SIM Card itself has an expiration beyond the service life of the credit, depending on how much credit you add. Use our Service Life table to determine what credit purchase is best for you. You can also add credit while in the US to extend the life of your SIM.

Helpful Tips

Would you rather own your phone? This is a better option if your stay is 2 months or longer. Check out our package deals for France! .. Traveling to multiple countries? You may want to consider a Talk Abroad™ rental package. .. Travelling in a group? You can save big on our dual phone rental package.

Important FAQs for Rentals

• When do I order?
  You can order as far in advance as you like - even months prior to your departure. We will ship your rental at the appropriate date in order for you to receive it prior to your departure. Rentals are shipped ground or express service and will arrive 2 business days prior to your set departure date.
• How many minutes do I have?
  Along with your rental you are purchasing an initial $29 credit voucher which will start you off with about 83 minutes of calls to the US or 79 minutes of calls within France. Additional vouchers may be purchased from Cellular Abroad or from many retailers throughout France.
• What will this cost me?
  • The applicable rental period fee for the duration of your rental period.
  • $29 for initial talk-time voucher (1 per phone).
  • Round-trip shipping and handling fee (see below).
• How much is shipping?
  If you order at least 2 weeks in advance, round-trip Ground shipping is only $12.88. If you are leaving soon, we offer round-trip 2-day Express for $29.96, or Overnight Express for $39.96. Rentals will arrive 2 business days prior to your set departure date.
• What is the latest I can order a rental phone?
  You can order up to one business day prior to your departure as long as you call in before to 1:30pm Pacific Time. Exceptions can be made on a limited basis, even if you are leaving early in the morning - we can usually get your phone to you. Please call our 800 number (rather than order via the web) in order to confirm that we can get you a phone rental on time.
• When do I get the phone?
  You will receive your cell phone rental two days prior to your departure, unless you require next day delivery.
• Does the cell phone come charged?
  Yes it does, but it’s always best to test the battery and charge phone before your departure.
• Can I charge this phone on my trip?
  Yes, you will receive an international charger and relevant plug adapters, so you can charge the phone in the U.S. or at your destination.
• How do I return the phone?
  Round trip shipping is included in your shipping fee. You will be provided with a return sticker label, which you can put on the box the phone arrived in, or your own box. If using your own box please do not use an extremely oversized box. (Canadian rental customers click here)
• What happens if I cancel?
  If your rental has not shipped, you will only be charged a $25 reserve fee. If your rental has been sent out, you are responsible for the one week rental fee plus the shipping fee.
• What will the rates be for people calling me from the US?
  That depends on the international long distance rates charged by their Long Distance Company or international calling card.
• Does Cellular Abroad offer insurance against loss or damage?
  The Renter is responsible for loss or damage to the equipment in part or in whole. Lost, stolen or unreturned phones will be billed for the loss of the phone per our Terms & Conditions
  

Multi-Country Travel
You can also purchase other SIM cards as well for other countries to where you may be traveling. (This option is good for those planning on doing a lot of local calling.) We also offer an international roaming National Geographic Talk Abroad™ rental that is convenient for travel to multiple countries. (This option is useful for those wanting a single number for use in multiple countries and who will be making more calls back home than locally.)