# Temporary solution for data connectivity in transit USA -> France



## papaia

Seeking advice from those having conducted such, by sharing what I was thinking about doing, while in transit USA -> France:
1. Lycamobile data card (eBay), in a spare phone w/tethering(hotspot) enablde, for the last few days in the USA, as we transfer our TMo phone numbers to Google Voice
2. Acquisition of a SIM card in (or from (!) - see below) France, immediately upon arrival, for very immediate communication during transit to our final destination

Qs:
1. Are there any SIM cards (Free comes to mind, as I saw my relatives and friends from France using such, while "data roaming" in the US) I could ask someone to acquire in France and ship to me, to have it ready, under the supposition that it would be cheaper than acquiring such in France, in the airport + the hassle of setting such up while in transit to train / luggage handling / etc.?
2. Is it possible to actually instantiate (register) such a SIM card in the USA, so I could avoid doing so right as the plane lands or soon thereafter, and maybe use it even in place of the Lycamobile one, for the last few days in the US?
3. Any other ideas about such a transition, when data only suffices, but needs to be reliable for at least the first few days, in between USA and France, until I get to visit a local shop and get on a French plan?

Edit: what about a SIM card from a provider in France (e.g. Free), prepaid option, *with data roaming support in the US*, which someone could acquire and activate for me in France, then ship it, so that once I get it here I could use it for the last few days + have immediately a known phone number and data access upon arrival? Does such exist?


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## Bevdeforges

Lycamobile exists here in France, too. It might make sense to just rely on whatever roaming features you have available for your last days in the US and your first week or so in France. You can then sign up for Free (or whichever mobile service you like) online directly and not have to find a store or kiosk. (Free has a tendency to operate from kiosks set up in large shopping malls.) They'll mail you the SIM with the phone number and then you just activate it (again, online).

Unless you have a pressingly urgent need to have uninterrupted Internet access, it might actually be nice to disconnect from the Internet for a few days during your move. You will have LOTS of stuff to attend to anyhow on arrival. Plus, I think the various mobile phone services tend to prefer that you pay via a bank standing order rather than a credit card. It can take a while to get a bank account set up over here.


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## papaia

I need to be in the US to port the TMo numbers to Google voice, and I have an unknown number of dependencies to my existing cell, to afford losing it, until I get the chance to determine when I'm truly done with it. I started updating some of my 2FAs to either mobile applications, where there is support for such, as MFA, or another Google voice number, for there is only the SMS option, but I can't say what's still left out there. Internet access throughout transition is really the only option I have, considering.


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## jweihl

I'm not sure I followed you, but if you just need a cheap source of mobile data while in the US you might look at Tello.com. Tello won't work in France (no roaming), which to me is actually a good thing, as I hope to use my dual SIM iPhone with Orange for France and Tello for US. Tello charges $2 (plus tax) for a SIM. You should be able to activate it immediately. They have a pay as you go plan which costs nothing per month, as well as all kinds of build your own plans (for example, no calls/texts, 6GB data per month for $20). Best of all you could use this cheap data to access your ported GV numbers (that's my plan ... port my existing number from Verizon to Google Voice, and access it via Voice app in France using Orange mobile plan. Theoretically, it will cost me nothing while I'm in France, and $20 for each month that I visit the US.


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## RayRay

If you need temporary US mobile phone service, I recommend a service called “Tourist” provided by a subsidiary of T-Mobile called Ultramobile (Tourist | Ultra Mobile/). Here’s how it works: 

You purchase an Ultramobile Tourist SIM chip at any T-Mobile shop in the US. You have to ask for it at the counter. It is not available by mail, etc., unfortunately.
You pay $30 US for the SIM chip which provides a US mobile telephone number and unlimited calls, texts, and data for 3 weeks. There are no additional fees.
You install the SIM chip in your phone and activate it. Doing so begins the 21 day clock.
The account stops working after 21 days and it’s not renewable. If you need service for longer than 3 weeks, you would purchase a new chip. 
I bought a second chip on my first visit and didn’t activate it so I’d have it for my following visit. When I land in the US, I activate the chip I have with me and use my mobile phone as my GPS in the rental car. Before I leave, I buy another chip for the next visit. 

Best of luck.

Ray


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## Bevdeforges

What I think the OP is looking for, though, is a data plan that can be used while roaming, and thus as temporary Internet connection while getting a French plan set up (which does take a few days to a week or so, depending on what you want). Do those temporary pay-as-you-go cards include data and some form of roaming data for use out of country? I think that's the key issue here.


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## papaia

*[RESOLVED]*

Thank you all who responded!! I apologize if my original request was confusing. All I am trying to do is to have a seamless and uninterrupted transition in communication, during last days in the US and upon arrival in France, until our final destination and set up. I think I found the best option, for those who might be interested: Lycamobile SIM card in the US, so that we have data coverage, while we port our TMobile numbers to Google Voice (takes a few days, and post-porting I'd like to have another few days to test all is ok, as TMo won't allow any such activities outside US => card required in the US). Acquire (also while the US, of course) an *eSIM* card (both my wife's iPhone and my Samsung support such, and we only need one with eSIM support, anyway) from Airalo (it is supposedly Orange in France == good coverage, as someone pointed out earlier, and with data only, as I don't care of new phone numbers in transition - will use GV), then get the subscriptions with permanent phone numbers once arriving in France (probably from Free), while still having access to our previous cell nbs, now ported to GV.


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## jweihl

I've used a LeFrench mobile pay as you go SIM for the past several years whenever traveling in europe. I usually switch out my US (verizon) SIM on the plane. When I land and turn on my iPhone, I do have to make one configuration change in order for it to work properly, but that takes just a minute or so. I bought the LeFrench SIM online while in the US, though I had to scan and send a copy of my passport info. I honestly don't remember the activation process. I think I activated it once I landed on the first trip that I used it. Once you've set it up it's easy to use. They take paypal and you just add euro credits online, then either buy France data or EU data. Calls and texts are pay as you go. It's worked well.


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## RayRay

Bev

You’re right. Ultramobile’s Tourist Plan is great, but perhaps not what they want. 

If they already had T-Mobile, I’d say to use it in France. T-Mobile’s roaming plan in Europe for existing subscribers is excellent. But it’s not worth signing up for if one isn’t already a T-mobile customer. 

Ray


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## papaia

RayRay said:


> Bev
> 
> You’re right. Ultramobile’s Tourist Plan is great, but perhaps not what they want.
> 
> If they already had T-Mobile, I’d say to use it in France. T-Mobile’s roaming plan in Europe for existing subscribers is excellent. But it’s not worth signing up for if one isn’t already a T-mobile customer.
> 
> Ray


Again apologies if I wasn't clear. Attempted further clarifications in other follow-up comments, above. We are moving to France == no way we'll keep TMo subscriptions in the US. We want to port the cell numbers (to GV) == no way we could do that once outside US. We need data connectivity all throughout, for obvious reasons ==> Lycamobile post-TMo cancellation, in the US + eSIM solution w/France support, to be able to validate functionality while still in the US + French Free pre-paid SIM cards while in France, for 2-3 months, until getting a bank account required for long term plans + [finally] long term plan for cells, once all the [financial] dust settles.


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## Laaker

I was in the same situation as you. I wanted a phone number in Europe before I landed there, so I could already be contacted by the people responsible for my arrival.


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## jweihl

papaia said:


> Again apologies if I wasn't clear. Attempted further clarifications in other follow-up comments, above. We are moving to France == no way we'll keep TMo subscriptions in the US. We want to port the cell numbers (to GV) == no way we could do that once outside US. We need data connectivity all throughout, for obvious reasons ==> Lycamobile post-TMo cancellation, in the US + eSIM solution w/France support, to be able to validate functionality while still in the US + French Free pre-paid SIM cards while in France, for 2-3 months, until getting a bank account required for long term plans + [finally] long term plan for cells, once all the [financial] dust settles.


You mention wanting to port your US numbers to Google Voice. We wanted to do that too, but our Verizon numbers (due to vagaries of how US phone numbers operate) were not portable to Google Voice. Instead, I ported mine to Tello and when I arrived in France, changed to a "pay as you go" plan for $5 per month. Tello doesn't roam outside the US, but DOES work if you have internet access on your phone. This is ideal if you have a dual SIM phone. I now have a French number with unlimited calls and texts, and 80 GB of data (Orange) for about €10 per month. After converting my Orange SIM to an eSIM, I was able to install my Tello SIM and have both a French and my previous US number. The Tello number uses wifi, or my Orange mobile data plan to make and receive calls (free). So, I have US and French numbers with all the data I can use, for about €15/month. It works great.

My wife and I also have Google Voice numbers (even though we couldn't port our Verizon numbers there ... she did not do the tello switch .. yet). We've been very underwhelmed with the performance of Google Voice. We've had frequent missed calls, dropped calls, and poor quality. I told people in the US to not use my GV number, and just use my old US cell number. My wife's family and friends just use iMessage and FaceTime to communicate as GV was just too unreliable.


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## papaia

I appreciate everyone following up on this, but this is a very old posting. 

To whom it may concern: I ended up porting two main TMo cell numbers to google voice, getting a third temp SIM for while still in the US, to preserve mobile data connectivity and have a US phone number as backup, in case Google screwed up the porting of main two, and a Lycamobile for "as soon as landed" in Europe + first few days in France. In the end Google porting worked flawlessly, so I ended up getting one more Google voice "spare" number with the temp SIM. In France I got the Free Mobile service, which, with two phones and a data plan of 210GB/month/ea full rate, makes Internet dedicated connectivity at home unnecessary, at least for the moment.

Both Google voice ported numbers worked and work flawlessly, ever since arrival, with actual voice and SMS (especially for 2FA), except for one financial institution, of minor impact (they can call the GV number, for the 2FA, as alternative to SMS)


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## Laaker

I was in the same situation as you. I wanted a phone number in Europe before I landed there, so I could already be contacted by the people responsible for my arrival. I found it quite difficult for someone to buy a sim card from there and send it to the US. However, a much simpler method seemed to me to buy a temporary number that you can choose right from the internet, from the site of an operator there. I used this for sms receive france to receive confirmations and messages from my collaborators.


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## Nunthewiser

papaia said:


> I appreciate everyone following up on this, but this is a very old posting.
> 
> To whom it may concern: I ended up porting two main TMo cell numbers to google voice, getting a third temp SIM for while still in the US, to preserve mobile data connectivity and have a US phone number as backup, in case Google screwed up the porting of main two, and a Lycamobile for "as soon as landed" in Europe + first few days in France. In the end Google porting worked flawlessly, so I ended up getting one more Google voice "spare" number with the temp SIM. In France I got the Free Mobile service, which, with two phones and a data plan of 210GB/month/ea full rate, makes Internet dedicated connectivity at home unnecessary, at least for the moment.
> 
> Both Google voice ported numbers worked and work flawlessly, ever since arrival, with actual voice and SMS (especially for 2FA), except for one financial institution, of minor impact (they can call the GV number, for the 2FA, as alternative to SMS)


 As for having a working French number as soon as you land (without having an accomplice in France), it is easy to find vendors on ebay who will send you a Lycamobile France SIM card. You can do most of the setup from the US and have the number working soon after touchdown in France.


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## saynomore

jweihl said:


> .... I now have a French number with unlimited calls and texts, and 80 GB of data (Orange) for about €10 per month. After converting my Orange SIM to an eSIM, I was able to install my Tello SIM and have both a French and my previous US number. The Tello number uses wifi, or my Orange mobile data plan to make and receive calls (free). So, I have US and French numbers with all the data I can use, for about €15/month. It works great.


 Hi, quick follow up question. You say that the Tello number uses wife OR your Orange mobile data plan .... I have read in other forums that it ONLY works on wifi .... I am thinking for example you are outdoors and someone calls or texts your Tello number...so no wifi...just your data 4G or 5G plan from Orange ... my questions are (a) would you receive the call or SMS (b) would you be able to call using the Tello SIM getting the internet from your Orange sim?


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## jweihl

saynomore said:


> Hi, quick follow up question. You say that the Tello number uses wife OR your Orange mobile data plan .... I have read in other forums that it ONLY works on wifi .... I am thinking for example you are outdoors and someone calls or texts your Tello number...so no wifi...just your data 4G or 5G plan from Orange ... my questions are (a) would you receive the call or SMS (b) would you be able to call using the Tello SIM getting the internet from your Orange sim?


Yes, my 4G data from Orange works fine for providing connectivity for my Tello SIM. Yes, I can receive and send calls and texts from my US number, wherever I am where I have service for my Orange SIM. Wifi not required.


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## saynomore

jweihl said:


> Yes, my 4G data from Orange works fine for providing connectivity for my Tello SIM. Yes, I can receive and send calls and texts from my US number, wherever I am where I have service for my Orange SIM. Wifi not required.


Thanks for sharing. I decided to do the test. I am in Italy using a Vodafone SIM, and I added the eSIM from Tello. It works very well over Wifi, but it doesn't work without wifi. 

I took screenshots on the eSIM config and the Vodafone config, just in case you can take a look and maybe find anything different from yours.


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## Clic Clac

papaia said:


> To whom it may concern: I ended up porting two main TMo cell numbers to google voice, getting a third temp SIM for while still in the US, to preserve mobile data connectivity and have a US phone number as backup, in case Google screwed up the porting of main two, and a Lycamobile for "as soon as landed" in Europe + first few days in France. In the end Google porting worked flawlessly, so I ended up getting one more Google voice "spare" number with the temp SIM. In France I got the Free Mobile service, which, with two phones and a data plan of 210GB/month/ea full rate, makes Internet dedicated connectivity at home unnecessary, at least for the moment.


My eyes have glazed over, but I'm pleased it worked for you. 🤗 

I'm with the Paul McCartney School of Communications.
He was quoted as saying he longed for the simpler life in the 'old days' :
*
"We had one dial telephone, fixed to the wall, under the stairs.
It sometimes rang. 
If you were in, you were in. If you were out, you were out."*

Happy Days.


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## jweihl

saynomore said:


> Thanks for sharing. I decided to do the test. I am in Italy using a Vodafone SIM, and I added the eSIM from Tello. It works very well over Wifi, but it doesn't work without wifi.
> 
> I took screenshots on the eSIM config and the Vodafone config, just in case you can take a look and maybe find anything different from yours.


I did a test this morning. While waiting for our post office to open, I check and verified that I was not connected to any wifi, then used my Tello number to successfully ring my Google Voice number, and was able to leave a voice mail. So it does work for me.

I can't tell you why your Tello number isn't working without wifi ... from what you've posted, I would think that it would. One difference between our situations is that your european SIM is a physical one, and your Tello SIM is an eSIM. Mine is the reverse. I understand that Tello was only doing eSIMs for iPhone 14 at the moment, and I won't get one until November. I don't see why the format of the SIM would make a difference, and I hope that when I convert to eSIM it will still work.

I'll post screenshots of my configuration. Maybe you'll spot something?


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## saynomore

Thanks a lot. My Vodafone sim doesnt seem to have a Wi-Fi calling option, only the Tello eSIM does...so I think that might be it.

Tks anyway


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