iPad in France - signal availability
If 3G is available you will see one of 3 status reports at the top left of your iPad screen:
Our trip has so far stretched from the eastern Pyrenees, up through the Auvergne to the Loire. 3G has been widely available, perhaps surprisingly so, dropping to Edge occasionally, then dropping out completely on occasion.
I'm sitting in an outdoor bar in Blois as I write, with 2-3 bars of 3G signal. With 3 bars I can access the iTunes store, with 2 bars I can't.
Driving up to Blois from Clermont Ferrand on the autoroute, 3G was patchy, regularly dropping out where SFR's signal was replaced by that of another provider (to whose 3G service I was not subscribed).
- SFR 3G
- SFR E
- SFR o
Our trip has so far stretched from the eastern Pyrenees, up through the Auvergne to the Loire. 3G has been widely available, perhaps surprisingly so, dropping to Edge occasionally, then dropping out completely on occasion.
I'm sitting in an outdoor bar in Blois as I write, with 2-3 bars of 3G signal. With 3 bars I can access the iTunes store, with 2 bars I can't.
Driving up to Blois from Clermont Ferrand on the autoroute, 3G was patchy, regularly dropping out where SFR's signal was replaced by that of another provider (to whose 3G service I was not subscribed).
On returning home I re-installed my 'home' 3G SIM but received no service. Unlike the first time I installed the SIM, my telco's APN setting was not automatically picked up. As soon as I entered this manually, 3G was immediately available.
This trip to France has been my first experience of 'Internet accessibility everywhere' via 3G and I like it! There's no going back now! Further trips abroad will add to my collection of 'local' 3G SIM cards.
Posted by Nigel Utting at 10 Aug 2011, 5:54 PM 
Categories: Travel:Auvergne
Tags: iPad France 3G SFR Auvergne
Categories: Travel:Auvergne
Tags: iPad France 3G SFR Auvergne
Thanks so much for this series of posts on Ipad usage in France. We are going on our regular holiday to Antibes in October with our new Ipad & your guidance regarding 3G access, posted on Trip Advisor is very much appreciated.
Judi & Richard
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