By Carol Pender
Figures published recently by the French Association of Internet Access and Service Providers indicate that France has reached the ten million broadband subscribers target set by the Government a year ahead of schedule, far surpassing adoption rates experienced elsewhere in Europe. With this broadband revolution has come an explosion in triple-play offers where high speed internet connections, TV and telephony services are provided for a single flat fee. And with competition remaining healthy, this hi tech wonderland can be yours for as little as €29.99 a month.
Wow, where do I sign up?! It sounds too good to be true! And of course it is, at least for some 8,600 French subscribers who were incensed enough to complain in 2005 regarding everything from delivery, installation, finalising contracts, billing and of course customer service (France ain’t America…the phrase ‘Have a nice day ma’am’ does not translate!). Everyone in France knows at least one person who is unhappy with his or her triple-play service. I, incidentally, know several.
A colleague’s sister has to choose between her LiveBox and her burglar alarm as the former keeps interfering with the latter.
After three months without internet access and a completely unsatisfactory response from Neuf Telecom’s customer service, a normally well-adjusted friend is pulling his hair out and threatening to go to court.
Yet another friend installed a Freebox with the annoying tendency of freezing at the most inconvenient moments. What’s the point of watching a whodunit when the image freezes at exactly the moment you’re about to find out whodunit?
Service providers acknowledge these various problems and attribute them to unexpectedly high demand. Given that adoption rates multiplied by 20 between 2002 and 2006, I guess this is pretty understandable. And for all the complaining from numerous friends and acquaintances, not one of them is thinking of getting rid of their box (the alarm is being replaced by the way).
So a lot of huffing and puffing and then just getting on with it…a trait not unique to the French it has to be said. I have to admit that the many horror stories haven’t put me off, as I too have succumbed to the lure of cheap, unlimited phone calls to friends and family at home in Ireland. And as luck (of the Irish) would have it, my service quality is perfect. Turns out I’m up the road from one of my provider’s transmitters. I don’t know what all the fuss is about.
I will be vacationing in the Loire Valley area in October. Since my Sprint wireless broaband notebook card will not function in Europe, I need to find wireless hardware and service providor for France. Obviously, I am not interested in an annual contract for only 2 weeks of use. Any ideas?
Posted by: greg | 14 September 2006 at 00:23
Hi Greg,
You can connect to the Internet from any hotspot in France. Some of them are free, but sometimes you need to buy a pass. For example, Orange offers a Wi-Fi pass for seven days and charges 60 euros. Have a look here http://www.jiwire.com/ to search for hotspots and check from which provider you'll need to buy a pass.
Posted by: Marjorie Meyer | 14 September 2006 at 10:55