Many people stay with France Telecom out of inertia, even when they might be able to save money by switching to an alternate provider. If you opt for an alternative operator you will still need France Telecom to install or activate a line, except if you have cable or other connectivity. France Telecom charges a monthly fee for this connection. Many alternative operators also provide internet access, so you can look at combining both services.
At the moment, only France Telecom can install (or reactivate) and operate your telephone line. You can ask for installation and activation by:
You will probably need to supply the following documents and information to get a phone line:
Activation of an existing phone line might take up to two days and should cost you an activation fee of €46.12 (50% discount for students) and a monthly charge of €12 (May 2004). If your flat is not connected to the telephone network (unusual), France Telecom will quote for connection.
The installation and activation is paid once at the start of the contract, the monthly charges are paid bi-monthly in advance. You can also choose to rent a telephone for a monthly fee. We recommend you skip this and buy your own phone to save cash.
The market is competitive, so different providers have constantly changing special offers and rates, which would be difficult to compare here. To work out what is the best deal for you, consider how much and where you will be calling and then shop around.
Some providers offer calling plans (forfait), under which you buy a defined number of hours of communications (similar to mobile contracts) or you are billed by calls made. Many providers charge the same rates for both working days and weekends, or offer calls at unique cost regardless of the duration of the call (up to certain time limit per call, such as 2 hours).
Certain providers offer very good rates for calls to some mobile operators, while others might be attractive for local or long-distance calls (to make things even more confusing, the definition of local calls differs between each operator). Finally, some providers charge special low rates to a set of specified phone numbers (which you call frequently).
As this is complicated, one thing you can do is use France Telecom for a few weeks to work out your calling patterns and then choose. You can see your bill online (for free), so you don't need to wait two months before making a choice.
Below is a list of some providers. We have made some notes on their offers and some feedback from public surveys and their users below. If you have some feedback, contact us.
Four largest providers:
Other operators include:
There are two connection options with alternative providers:
Billing is usually monthly or every two months. Most providers ask for bank account information or require you to make payment automatically (prélevement automatique). This does not mean that you cannot contest the payment if there is an error. Many providers take subscription fees in advance and then bill the calling costs (usually detailed on your bill: facture détaillée).
Every provider has specific conditions for the contract termination (résiliation du contrat). Check them before you sign the contract to avoid surprises if you choose to cancel it later.
If you think you have been overcharged, contact the provider's customer service. If they do not help, contact the Médiateur des Télécommunication, whose details will be on a written response to a claim from your provider.
If you feel that you are victim of abusive or forced commercial practices, complain to DDCCFR ( Direction Départementale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) in the department where your service provider is incorporated.
Note: If you sign up the contract by phone or Internet and it has not yet started, you can cancel without penalty within 7 days (this is standard consumer protection by law).
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