Did you always wanted to explore France? It is not only the largest country in France but it also welcomes the most amount of tourists per year within the European Union. It is no wonder that it attracts so many people with its absolutely breathtaking scenery across the country, the historical monuments, the delicious baguettes, the vibrant macarons and of course, Paris, the City of Love and Romance.
Imagine this…You and your partner standing in front of the Eiffel Tower, taking a breath-taking selfie and voilà – you want to share it with your best friends and family back home… But wait a moment…you remember that you cannot access the mobile internet. Now you spend your valuable time to find free Wi-Fi.
That is exactly what has happened to me and I made a promise to myself: Never, ever will I go to travel again without purchasing either a local SIM card at the destination abroad or beforehand.
Just recently, I went to Paris again and I decided to order an Orange Holiday SIM Card from SimOptions.
For $49.90 USD, the Orange Holiday Europe SIM card comes pre-loaded with 10GB of 4G Data across all Europe including 120 Min international calls and 1000 SMS. Let me explain to you why I think it is a great deal!
Why Choose Orange SIM from SimOptions
Whether you are traveling to Asia, the Americas or Europe, you can grab one of many international SIM cards offered by SimOptions for your travels abroad. They all provide you with free data roaming in more than 200 destinations worldwide. Perfect for anybody who’d like to keep their smart devices connected to the internet to stay in touch with friends and family – anywhere – anytime.
SimOptions is Europe’s #1 marketplace for international Prepaid SIM Cards for travelers all over the world. Take the advantage from the lowest rates for internet data packages, calls and SMS during your next trip abroad without any additional international roaming fees. They offer SIM Cards in all formats: normal, micro and nano sizes, as well as mobile phones and travel accessories so you can stay connected throughout your trip. All SIM cards are 100% Prepaid – no contract – no hidden extra costs.
When ordering through SimOptions, you are not required to register your SIM Card by providing your personal ID. All SIM cards are already pre-registered and ready-to-use.
The Orange Holiday SIM Card
Orange S.A. (formerly known as France Télécom S.A.) is the 4th largest mobile network provider in Europe and the 12th largest worldwide. On October 17th 2019, Orange has been recognized as the No. 1 Mobile Network by Arcep for the 8th time in a row.
Arcep is a French independent administrative authority in charge of the post and electronic communications regulation and performs yearly Quality & Service audits & surveys on all operators in Metropolitan France.
Orange also won in the following categories:
- 1 in Streaming Video
- 1 in Web Browsing in residential areas and in transit
- 1 in Voice Calls and Text in residential areas and in transit
- 1 in Reliability of file transfers
Orange is a well-established, partly government-owned company, that has proven its superb quality of products & service year over year.
You can find more detailed information about the SIM card below.
Details
- 10GB 4G/LTE Data all over Europe
- 120 Min International Calls
- 1,000 International SMS
- Credit Validity for 14 days after activation
- Free Incoming Calls within the European Countries
- Connect to one of the best 4G mobile networks in Europe
SIM Card Coverage
The Prepaid SIM card for Europe provided by Orange covers 30 countries in Europe.
Andorra, Azores, Aland islands, Austria, Balearic Islands, Belgium, Canary Islands , Cyprus, Corfu, Crete, the Cyclades, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faeroe Islands, Finland, France mainland, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Jersey, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Isle of Man, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Rhodes, Romania, Spain, United Kingdom, San Marino, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Switzerland, Sweden, Vatican
How to use the Orange SIM Card
- Insert your SIM card in your device when you travel in Europe and it will automatically connect to the best local network
- Register online if you want to top up and extend your initial credit beyond 14 days
- SIM Card stays active indefinitely as long as you register online and top-up every 6 months
- You get a French phone number written
How to top-up the SIM Card
Top up online with any international credit card.
SIM Card Format
The SIM Card is pre-cut int 3 different sizes:
- Standard SIM: 25 x 15mm
- Micro SIM: 15 x 12mm
- Nano SIM: 12.3 x 8.8mm
Note: The SIM Card can be used in any unlocked cell phone or any other internet-ready device!
Any open questions?
- You can read the FAQ’s or…
- contact the customer support via live chat anytime on simoptions.com
What Can You Expect of the Orange Holiday SIM
Overall, the whole order processing was very uncomplicated and professionally handled by SimOptions. Within a few business days, the SIM card will arrive at your home (various delivery options available depending on your location). If you want to save a few bucks, I’d recommend selecting the Self-Pick Up option at their office in Paris.
The Orange Holiday SIM comes with a manual, that will guide you through the easy setup and answers any open questions that might be left.
SIM Card Activation
Depending on your phone model, you either need a Nano, Micro or Standard SIM. It is very convenient that the SIM is already pre-cut. Once inserted, you can activate the SIM by turning on your mobile data, sending a text message or making a phone call after your arrival in Europe. From this point on, it is valid for 14 days and the credit can be recharged online.
The whole activation procedure is fast and less than 1 minute later, you can start browsing the 4G internet all over Europe.
Mobile Internet Speed
Throughout France and all over Europe, Orange has an extensive mobile network that provides 4G/4G+ in most areas. Only a few remote areas are still in 3G.
During my time in Paris, I regularly ran speed tests on my own and was pleasantly surprised. The download rate on Orange’s network averaged around 13.1 Mbps and the upload speed around 5.8 Mbps. At this download speed, you can easily use your favorite social media platforms, watch YouTube or Netflix/Hulu (just be careful about your data allowance) and more.
Would I recommend Orange Holiday SIM?
Definitely yes. Not only is it truly convenient to be able to look up any information needed when being in a foreign country but also I didn’t have to worry if I missed out on any important messages from my friends & family or even work from back home. It was such a relieving feeling to know that I have mobile internet once I set a foot inside France. Looking for the right SIM card store abroad can be a very time-consuming challenge and I’m glad that I could avoid it.
The included 120 mins of calls from Europe to the world allowed me to call my friends/family anytime I wanted without ever worrying about adding any extra costs on my phone bill back home. If you decide to Europe, I’d definitely recommend you to try the Orange Holiday SIM to always stay connected to the internet anywhere in Europe.
For more information, visit simoptions.com website.