Fed up with slow or unreliable land line broadband? Satellite broadband is the next generation alternative and we have some amazing prices for 22Mbps satellite broadband available everywhere in France right now. There’s never been a better time for satellite broadband for expats in France…

Is your existing broadband service too slow and unreliable? Were you thinking that your only broadband option is committing to costs of a new phone line and a broadband connection? Or have you just lost your UK TV channels and would like to get reliable and free access online?

No line rental charges, low cost calls 

Fast, reliable next generation satellite broadband provides you with great value broadband and low cost calls – not to mention the savings you’ll make without the need for line rental charges.

Why go for satellite broadband in France?

If you live in a rural area, satellite broadband will almost certainly be more reliable and much faster than a fixed line (ADSL) connection. Phone lines can  get damaged or suffer from corrosion. Such problems are inevitable as so much of the network is carried on poles (in towns much more network is underground). Network damage may also slow or stop your broadband connection altogether.

Internet reliability and speed is everything!

Depending on where you live in France, there are a range of options that allow you to access satellite TV channels as well.

What else do I need to know?

Getting connected to satellite broadband should be simple and straight-forward:

1. It can be much cheaper and quicker than a new landline. With rural fixed lines, it is common that additional telephone poles are needed to connect your property to the existing network and these typically cost 500€. With satellite, our installation process is much quicker – you can normally get connected within a fortnight.

2. You should be able to transfer an existing French number over.

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The questions you want to know the answers to about Satellite Broadband services in France. It is a relatively new communication tool and for some, shrouded in mystery. It doesn’t have to be that way though and here we aim to answer all those tricky questions with clarity:

Satellite Internet in France

I have spoken to a neighbour who has satellite installed – he says that when he switches on there is a slight delay while it all powers up – after that it is so fast he’s astonished at the difference. Is that delay normal?
The delay is due to the latency of the service (the time it takes the signal to get up and down from a satellite 22,000 miles high). Check with any satellite broadband service you are considering what software techniques they have in place to minimise this lag, including an Internet Protocol Accelerator (IPA).

Can a competent DIYer install the dish and get it all going? 
You can self install if you’re good with DIY. We have full instructions to assist you.

You can also check video tutorials on Youtube (search for KA SAT) if you want to make sure you can install it yourself.

How do people find someone to do it for them if they don’t feel competent?
How much it costs varies from area to area and may depend on where your nearest installer is located from your property. If you are interested in a professional installation, ask your supplier or contact an installer directly in France (http://installateurs.internetparsatellite.net/)

Who carries out repairs, and how does that work?
If you have any problem with your satellite broadband, you should be able to contact your providor for assistance – it is worth checking in advance what services they offer.

How do you assess how much download you need per month?
The data allowance needed will depend on your usage. If you use Internet for browsing and checking your emails, your allowance doesn’t need to be too high. However, if you use Internet for skype, downloading, and watching television online you will need a bigger package as these type of usage are data heavy.

Please find below the data required for common usage so that it can help you to make your choice:

Download                             GB required
Low definition movie:         0.75GB
40 hours web surfing:         1.0GB
8 hours of internet radio:  1.0GB
HD quality movie:                4.5GB

It may be best to under estimate your likely usage as upgrades are free but downgrades are chargeable!

What is the difference to the client of buying/renting a dish?
Purchasing the equipment may be best if you have a second home as the service can be suspended while you are not at the property – the suspension is cost effective if the service is suspended for at least 3 consecutive months but note there may be a one-off charge applied every time you wish to have the service back on. The contract length if you decide to purchase the equipment is 1 month.

If you live permanently in the property, it is usually best to go ahead with one of the rental options.

Usually, the monthly service price is a bit higher compared to the one if you purchase the equipment and the contract length is 24 months. With the satellite rental, there is normally a set up fee, while with the satellite rental there is normally no set up fee but the monthly price may be higher.

What is meant by unlimited download off peak hours 23.00 – 07.00 (UK time) and does that mean that it’s not included in the monthly usage and download?

Many providors include this option in there sales brochures. It simply means that if you use your Internet during this period, it won’t be taken from your monthly allowance.

Is the only difference in renting satellite, light rental – the monthly price difference – not in the service or download speed?
Typically the only difference with the satellite rental is the contract length (24 months) but the service provided remains exactly the same.

Providors of satellite broadband vary in service, price and availability – it’s worth shopping around and checking the facts in advance to make sure you get what suits you best.

Setting up Satellite Broadband in France
Everything you need to know about Satellite Broadband

The post Satellite Internet in France – Your questions answered appeared first on The Good Life France.

In a series about setting up internet access via satellite rather than through a conventional phone line, we look at the cost comparison between the two services and the pros and the cons to setting up satellite broadband in France.

See Part I – everything you need to know about Satellite Broadband in France

Satellite Broadband in France – how to make sure you buy only what you need

To get a normal phone line and broadband service you should expect to pay between 55€ for a remote activation, which will take 7 days, and 124€ if an engineer is required to visit the property – this can take two to three weeks. It will take a further 10 days for the broadband service to go live and the cost will include the activation charge of between 25€ and 30€ and a deposit or rental of a modem (2015).

If there is not and has not previously been a line into the property, the costs can mount depending on circumstances. If there is a telephone pole nearby the cost will be 124€ but you will have to dig a trench from your boundary to your property and drill an access hole in your outside wall for the cable. Orange will only include one telephone point as part of the installation and any more points need to be added by an electrician – or a competent DIYer.

However, if there is no pole nearby, you will be expected to pay for one (or more) and they typically cost 500€ each. In addition if the route has to go over private land the owner may not agree, making this option unavailable – and it may surprise you when we tell you that this is not as uncommon as you think.

So if you live in a rural area, you may have to pay charges to get your phone line broadband set up. Then it is possible that you may discover that the broadband speed is horribly slow and in the worst case, not possible if the distance between the exchange and your home is wide. The typical maximum distance between a property and the local exchange that can support broadband is 5km.

For these reasons (and several more) more people are turning to satellite and it is a trend that has been increasing for some time.

More points in favour of growing satellite phone demand include:

1. The monthly costs are coming down,

2. There are rental options so the higher installation costs can be reduced

3. You can have a telephone service with no line rental costs and cheaper calls.

There is also an added bonus of a quicker installation that takes just 5 and 10 days.

The cost of satellite services in France

A satellite installation has two main costs:

1. Hardware – this can be purchased outright or rented.

2. Installation cost.  You can choose to install it yourself or have a professional installation.  Using a self install kit and videos available on YouTube means that a competent DIY person can manage without difficulty.  Many customers ask for an English speaking engineer, which can also be arranged.

What about the drawbacks or differences?

The biggest difference between ordinary and satellite broadband is that the former allows for a generally unlimited download service whilst satellite services come with specific data download allowances.

The more you pay the bigger the allowance, so it is best to accurately estimate how much you will need. If you exceed your allowance you will not be cut off but the speed of your service will drop dramatically. If that happens you can buy a ‘booster token’ that will give you a further allowance that will be credited to your account. It is not time limited and will remain available until used. If you think that you will frequently need more than your agreement provides you can always upgrade. Upgrading is free (note there is a charge for reducing your allowance).

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We take a look at satellite broadband in France – if you want to know what satellite broadband in France is all about, this is the definitive guide that answers all your questions…

Around 18,000 homes in France choose satellite broadband over traditional telephone line based services, a remarkably low amount. In the UK and Ireland, where there is far better access to a speedy service of traditional broadband, there are more than 20,000 subscribers to satellite broadband. Given the comparatively poor access to fast broadband in France it is perhaps surprising that there are not more satellite subscribers, but many people are confused about how to install this service and what it really means.

Satellite Broadband in France

Often satellite broadband is the only reliable and fast service available in rural areas. Whilst it is generally more expensive to install it could actually be much cheaper if there are no nearby line services, but the deciding factor that is causing many people to turn to this channel for internet services is speed and reliability.

During winter months there will often be a number of telephone lines damaged by storms, and whenever this is the case the phone line repair teams are over-stretched and it is common for the service to take 10 or more days to restore. It makes no difference which provider you use, Orange, SFR or anybody else; the independent sub-contract engineers have to give equal priority to all faults.  Unless you have paid for an enhanced repair service you are in a queue and have to wait for them to get round to you.

Compare this to a satellite service. There are no lines to be damaged by the storms or corrosion of joints in lines at the top of poles, and the speed of the service is just as fast no matter where you live. Your service is delivered between your dish and the satellite and the only occasional problem can be a temporary loss of quality if there is a very heavy storm or snow. However as soon as the storm passes the service returns to normal. Most problems with satellite broadband incidentally, are usually associated with the modems.

Satellite Television in France

The satellites which are used to transmit TV programmes were altered which resulted in widespread loss of access to Sky TV services.  The satellites now in use have a tight beam, meaning that the further south of the Channel you are the more likely you are to lose access to UK TV.

Simply using a larger dish is no guarantee that you will get access to overseas services , but there are alternatives. You can buy a ‘free to air’ set top box to get the free to air French services, TF1, France2, 3, 5 and M6. This will be compatible with a UK TV.  You can also subscribe to Canal Satellite, a service similar to Sky and get some UK TV channels.

If you have a standard broadband service with at least 2Mbps speed, or a satellite service, you can use this to access UK TV catch-up TV. These are services provided in the UK by the major broadcasters who repeat programmes previously aired via digital distribution, allowing access via broadband.  BBC’s iPlayer, ITV Player and Channel4OD (On Demand) are popular examples. These programmes are usually available for 30 days, so it is a convenient way of seeing many popular soaps etc.

Getting the service outside of the UK will require special arrangements. If you have the technical knowledge you can set up a ‘sling box’ to establish your own Virtual Private Network. However most people choose specialist providers. If you subscribe to a satellite broadband service, remember that streaming TV programmes and films uses a lot of data (which is not unlimited as is the case for line based services), so make sure your data allowance is sufficient for your needs.  (See “your satellite broadband questions answered“).

TV programmes via broadband can be shown on your TV if you use an appropriate cable.

You can use a HDMI cable to connect your PC to your TV to get the best sound and picture quality.  Older PCs and TVs may only support a VGA cable, and this will not carry sound.

Comparing the costs – how to make sure you buy only what you need
Frequently asked questions and answers about satellite broad and phone services in France

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3 great money saving tips on keeping in touch from your holiday home in France…

How can you reduce your line rental, call and broadband costs when you are not using your holiday home in France? The first way is to consider choosing a telephone line that can be suspended when you are not there. Or you might prefer a call package that gives you unlimited calls while you are in France but can be suspended when you are away; or a low cost call rate alternative to France Telecom/Orange. Finally you might consider money saving broadband options.

Suspended Line: Ligne Residence Secondaire

You may have heard about telephone lines that you can suspend. The service is called ‘Ligne Residence Secondaire’ and Orange has a monopoly for this service.  The telephone line can be deferred for a minimum of one month to a maximum of 1 year – any longer and the service is cancelled.  Your number will not change and you will have to pay 4.69€ each time the line is suspended but reactivation is free. You will also be required to prove that your main residence is elsewhere.

Cheaper phone calls in France

Specialist providers may be able to provide you with call packages that reduce your costs. They will generally be cheaper for expats as they take into account that the call profile is different from French nationals.  If you choose a call package, it can be suspended when you don’t need it and reactivated free of charge when you do. A pay-as-you-go service is not affected when you suspend the line and automatically goes live once your line is reactivated without any action from you.

You can also have your French number ‘translated’ into a low cost UK number, so friends and family can call you very cheaply compared to most UK providers.  There are no contracts to sign and the service does not affect how your French number works.

Reducing Internet costs in France

Your Broadband service may also be suspended when you’re not using it.  However it is limited to a speed of up to 8Mbps, slow compared to most peoples’ experience and the service is only available from Orange.  It costs 21€ a month and there is no cost for suspending or reactivating.  However 8 days notice of suspension or reactivation is required which can be quite inconvenient.

Satellite phone and internet in France

Satellite services that carry your calls and internet can be suspended when you are not using them.  The hardware and installation costs are higher, but if there is no telephone line already in place, the cost of getting that arranged can be offset against this new service. The huge advantage is that you are not limited to a low speed service.  It costs nothing to suspend but 30€ to reactivate, making short suspensions less attractive.  Another big benefit (apart from higher speed) is that the satellite service is less vulnerable to storm damage making it a good option for many, particularly in rural areas.

Phone and internet for holiday homes in France

If you rent out your holiday home, you will almost certainly attract more customers if you have a good internet service. It is certainly worth consideration as the additional costs of installation could be more than compensated for by higher utilisation of the property. With the proliferation of mobile phones, offering a phone service is less important. However with monthly fully itemised call statements you could offer your guests use of the telephone service, with their agreement that costs they incur can be deducted from their deposit. Holiday makers will really appreciate being able to use their iPads, Iphones and other services on WiFi, to keep in touch from France for less with their work, friends and for family use. Services provided by an expat telecoms specialist company will enable your guests to call the English speaking service if they experience any problems – quite a benefit for many visitors. The specialists are also less likely to charge for calls for assistance, Orange charge a premium rate for calls to their help line once the call connects.

Finally, some specialist expat companies provide you with the convenient option of paying in Sterling rather than Euros which may be helpful.

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The traditional contact with home through letters and occasional long distance phone calls has long been replaced by a world of instant contact through the internet and very inexpensive calls to international destinations. We look at some great ways to save money when you set up phone and internet in France.

Save 50% on your new telephone line in France

There is a wide range of telephone and broadband providers you can approach to get connected. The French telephone network is owned by Orange and all alternative companies will use this network. Orange has an English speaking help line and there are several expat providers offering services to English speakers. Repairs to the network are carried out by separate sub-contractors who give all telecom companies equal priority for their customers. If your property has had an active telephone line within the last 2 years, setting up a new service will be 55€ if you can provide the name of the previous user or the telephone number. The service can be activated remotely which keeps the cost down. If not, an engineer will have to visit the property and the cost will more than double – 130€. If you are not fluent in French or would find it helpful for someone to manage installation of your new line some of the specialist multi-lingual telecoms companies providing services to expats will do this for you, making a small charge for the work involved.

There is a monthly line rental charge (see the Orange Website: www.orange.fr  for details).

Telephone and Broadband for remote locations in France

If you live in a remote area and there has never been a line installed it may be necessary to have additional telephone poles erected. It typically costs around 500€ for each pole and you will have to have a trench dug from the boundary to your property for the line to be laid in which will incur additional costs.

As satellite broadband and good quality calls have come down in price, people in these situations often go for satellite provision, especially as line based broadband will be slow and possibly not even available. Another benefit to using satellite telecoms is being able to take your handset with you anywhere in the world , as long as you can access a suitable broadband modem, your phone will still make and receive calls as if you were at home. Users need never miss a call, can make ‘free’ calls within their call package no matter where they are and the answerphone even works!

Telephone and Broadband for second homes in France

You may have purchased a second home and if so, you might want to use telephone and broadband services only whilst you are there. Providing you can prove that your main residence is elsewhere, you can choose to subscribe to line rental and broadband services that can be suspended. The line rental is known as ‘ligne residence secondaire’ and the broadband speed will be restricted to 0.5Mbps – be aware, this is slow by ordinary standards.

Look behind the headline prices to get the best deal

If you are going to be resident in France then you will want to consider taking a call package as this may be more cost effective. The market is very competitive with headline costs all competing with one another. It is worth noting that your call pattern may be different to the typical French customer for whom the call packages sold by French companies are designed.

If you are likely to call UK non-geographic numbers such as those used by banks, insurance companies, some government departments and other service related businesses you are likely to pay high charges for using them via a French telecoms service. Expat specialists can provide very attractive rates to call these UK specific numbers and the savings could be significant depending on your use.

Take a look at the back of credit cards and other items from organisations you use as, in addition to their 0845, 0847 0870 type of numbers, they often have an international number, use that instead. It will of course work in the UK if you drop the international prefix, and this will save you money when back in the UK!

If you cannot find a normal number visit www.saynoto0870.com and search for it there.

Save money on friends and family calls in France

One other often overlooked saving offered by the expat specialists is that they can ‘translate’ your French number to a low cost 0844 UK number. It does not affect the way your French number works but if you give this number to friends and family they can make huge savings when calling you. Typically a call made on a domestic BT line in the daytime will be six times as expensive as using your 0844 number. The service is FREE and there is no contract to commit to.

When things go wrong with your phone in France

Be aware that you will probably get charged a premium rate for a call for support to your French supplier. Following many complaints the premium rate is not charged until your call is answered, however a technical problem with your broadband can typically take between 20 and 30 minutes to resolve (particularly if your technical French is not good) and therefore the call can be expensive. Many of the expat specialists offer a Freephone number for all calls made in France to their offices and the support will be in English.

It pays to spend time finding a supplier who can give good, honest advice and can provide a one bill solution that is designed to meet your needs.

The post Money saving tips for Phone and Internet in France appeared first on The Good Life France.

To get Broadband internet set up in France, you may to have a France Telecom (Orange) line installed. Regardless of whether you want to use another provider for internet services you’ll still need to have a France Telecom line.

Your UK PC, laptop or Mac will work in France as will your English keyboard. And you can install French software/hardware onto your UK computer. French keyboards are different from the QWERTYUP layout on an English keyboard. The French one needs some getting used to although it does have accented letters on it which you may find useful if you use them a lot. If not you can find accented letters in the Symbols button in the taskbar.

Internet service from France Telecom

We’d like to say that getting the internet set up in France is easy but it isn’t always the case but some providers do have an English speaking helpline. Orange’s English speaking helpline telephone number from France is:  09 69 36 39 00. They are available from 09.00 – 17.00 but closed between 12.00-13.00 Monday to Friday.

Internet access in France

Make sure that you protect your internet access in France against electrical surges. Depending on where you live your electrical goods may be at risk from strikes by electrical storms, power surges caused by power cuts and other untoward happenings. This is well known in parts of Southern France. And it’s certainly the case in Northern France where power surges are quite common. You can avoid the problems this may cause by fitting a power surge protector for your PC, TV and other important equipment that can be affected. You can buy surge protectors easily in French supermarkets or DIY stores. Look for “protection anti-foudre”.

Internet speed in France

Although France Telecom is continuing to work on improving internet access across France, some rural areas have a much slower rate of operation in comparison with more populated areas. Some isolated properties may not have internet access at all. So if it’s critical to you or you need it for work it’s worth checking before buying a property that the internet access is there. And also how good it is and whether it can be improved. Fibre optic internet access is being rolled out across France. Local town halls will have all the details for when it is to be progressed. Note: If you upgrade to fibre optic, hold on to your old live box, you may be asked to send it by post for recycling and there is a fee to pay if you don’t.

Dial up Internet access in France

If you don’t have Broadband access in your area but you have a telephone line, you can use the slower form of Dial Up. There are two ways to access the internet with Dial up: Access Libre is without a contract and charges for each minute of use. Or you can take out a contract for a set number of hours per month. This is incredibly expensive if you go over the set hours so make sure you check this out carefully. You may also be able to access the internet via a satellite provider.

Dégroupage (unbundling)

Dégroupage means to separate the Internet line from the fixed line telephone supply i.e. internet access independently from France Telecom. Each independent supplier will have different packages. To find out if an area is “dégroupé” the French website Degroup Test offers a free and independent service: Click here www.degrouptest.com.

Internet Service from other providers in France

There are many French providers of internet (as well as phone and TV) services including electronic retailer Darty www.dartybox.com and Neuf Telecom (which is one of the largest alternatives to France Telecom) and adsl.sfr.fr.

What to do when you have problems with your Internet access in France

Internet access problems can be at best frustrating and at worst costly. If you have an issue with connection where it has already been working fine first, check your router to make sure the internet connection or service is still working. Make sure the ADSL light is on. If it’s flashing this may indicate an issue with connection (also if the light is not green). In the event that rebooting doesn’t resolve the issue, call your internet provider for help. They should be able to test the line. If you have a Live Box internet connection with Orange France and it is faulty, you’ll need to take it to your nearest Orange shop and swap it (if it is still within the 12 month warranty period) or buy a new one.

For more information on setting up a telephone in France.

For more information on mobiles in France.

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