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Fixed lines

How to get a phone line in France

The French telecommunication market is dominated by France Telecom, the former state-owned monopolist, who provides nearly all fixed lines. However, there are several other alternative telecommunication providers in France.

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.

Getting started

At the moment, only France Telecom (Orange) can install (or reactivate) and operate your telephone line. You can ask for installation and activation by:

calling your local France Telecom (Orange) agency (dial the freephone number 1014, which will connect to the nearest office)
visiting the nearest France Telecom (Orange) agency (can be found on the website www.orange.fr or by calling 1014)
calling the hotline 0 892 705 704

You will probably need to supply the following documents and information to get a phone line:

your passport or other ID
a copy of your housing contract
the start date of the service
your exact address (including floor and door), and if possible the phone number and name of the previous inhabitant, or the number on the France Telecom plate, which should be fixed on your door
your mobile or work phone number (if available)

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 €16 (January 2012). If your flat is not connected to the telephone network (unusual), France Telecom (Orange) 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.

Choosing a provider

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 (Orange) 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.

Who offers fixed telephone line services

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:

France Télécom
www.orange.fr
Your local agency: dial 1014 (for private customers) or 1016 (for businesses) Unlike other operators, that have local and national calls in France, France Telecom has three types: local (as defined on its website), enlarged local and national. France Telecom has some of the best deals for short local calls. Rates differ depending on the time of the day: Monday to Friday 8:00-19:00 = normal
SFR
www.sfr.fr
Acquired broadband and fixed-line operator Neuf Cegetel and is now the second largest telecommunication services provider.
Iliad
Iliad is the third largest telecommunication services provider in France with its two subsidiaries - Free and Alice.
www.free.fr
Free is Iliad's subsidiary that offers fixed, mobile telephony and Internet service
Bouygues Télécom
Bouygues Télécom is the fourth largest telephony and Internet provider in France.
http://www.bouyguestelecom.fr/

Other operators include:

Dirland Telecom
www.dirland.com
Cheap for short calls to fixed lines in France.
First Telecom
www.first-telecom.fr
Good for local calls to fixed lines during peak hours.
One.Tel
www.onetel.fr
A good global offer, especially for calls to mobiles.
Universal Telecom
www.uvtel.com
A small company with an attractive offer for both to fixed lines and mobiles.

Connection, billing, contract termination

There are two connection options with alternative providers:

Use a four-digit dialling prefix before every call (if not, you will simply be billed at normal France Telecom rates).
Set up a provider as you default operator (opératuer préselectionée); in this case you do not need to dial a specific prefix, and if you wish to use France Telecom service, you simply dial '8' before such a call. Before doing this, we advise you to use your new operator for a while and make this change once you are happy with its services and charges.

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.

In case of problems

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).