iPad in France - the first top-up
After the initial 3 days of 3G access expired (they were included in the cost of the SIM) it was time to buy additional time online.
There was a time when the only place that might not accept a non-French credit/debit card was a French petrol station, but that time is long past; foreign credit/debit cards are accepted everywhere in France as long as they are of the 'chip & pin' variety (which may give holders of US cards a problem).
Sadly, SFR is the new French petrol station; my attempts to buy additional time online on the SFR website were always met with a 'there has been an error' message as soon as I tried to pay with a UK debit card and the message, amusingly, continued by saying that 'the error would be defined later'.
OK, so off to the SFR website (using a local bar's free wifi) to look for an SFR shop in Aurillac. At least 50% of French bars and 90% of French hotels now offer free wifi, just ask for 'le code pour le wifi' and you're away.
SFR top-ups come in two flavours: time-based and volume-of-data-based. Disappointingly, the assistant in the SFR shop said that they only had time-based top-ups available (not what I wanted).
There was a time when the only place that might not accept a non-French credit/debit card was a French petrol station, but that time is long past; foreign credit/debit cards are accepted everywhere in France as long as they are of the 'chip & pin' variety (which may give holders of US cards a problem).
Sadly, SFR is the new French petrol station; my attempts to buy additional time online on the SFR website were always met with a 'there has been an error' message as soon as I tried to pay with a UK debit card and the message, amusingly, continued by saying that 'the error would be defined later'.
OK, so off to the SFR website (using a local bar's free wifi) to look for an SFR shop in Aurillac. At least 50% of French bars and 90% of French hotels now offer free wifi, just ask for 'le code pour le wifi' and you're away.
SFR top-ups come in two flavours: time-based and volume-of-data-based. Disappointingly, the assistant in the SFR shop said that they only had time-based top-ups available (not what I wanted).
When I pointed out that this was an SFR shop, for crying out loud, and I couldn't understand why the entire range of top-ups wasn't available, as per the printout from their website which I was waving in frustration, I was treated to the full Gallic shrug.
OK, I said, I'll go to Orange and see what they can do for me.
OK, I said, I'll go to Orange and see what they can do for me.
Amazing! Mention the competition and, all of a sudden, a 500Mb volume-based top-up was available from SFR.
After handing over 25 Euros I was given a piece of paper with a 10-digit top-up code. Since my existing credit had run out and I had no 3G Internet access I was slightly concerned as to how I would process the top-up. In the event, on the iPad you go to Settings, Cellular Data, SIM Applications, Solde/Recharge, Rchgt Coupon, Par Texto.
You are then presented with an input screen entitled Code Coupon? where you enter the 10-digit top-up code and hit Send. A few seconds later a message pops up on the screen saying that your top-up is in progress. Switch off cellular data in Settings. Switch back on again and you are in business. The top-up has been applied.
The hardest part was persuading SFR that they could sell me one of their own top-ups!!
After handing over 25 Euros I was given a piece of paper with a 10-digit top-up code. Since my existing credit had run out and I had no 3G Internet access I was slightly concerned as to how I would process the top-up. In the event, on the iPad you go to Settings, Cellular Data, SIM Applications, Solde/Recharge, Rchgt Coupon, Par Texto.
You are then presented with an input screen entitled Code Coupon? where you enter the 10-digit top-up code and hit Send. A few seconds later a message pops up on the screen saying that your top-up is in progress. Switch off cellular data in Settings. Switch back on again and you are in business. The top-up has been applied.
The hardest part was persuading SFR that they could sell me one of their own top-ups!!
Posted by Nigel Utting at 6 Aug 2011, 8:22 PM 
Categories: Technology:3G:Wifi:iPad, Travel:France
Tags: iPad France top-up recharge SFR 3G
Categories: Technology:3G:Wifi:iPad, Travel:France
Tags: iPad France top-up recharge SFR 3G
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