Hi,

I'm having a problem with my Joe card.
Today I activated the card, choose a plan (Forfait 4G).

At this moment, I'm in Belgium (and I'm prepairing the card for my visit to france). I received an sms from Joe with my local tafir (for voice and data while I'm in Belgium). So the card should work.

But: I can't make or receive a call.

Any idea what can be wrong?

Yves

* did you top-up before ?
* try to rebootr your cxellphone and force it to the 3 belgium operator (proximus, belgacom and BASE) and try

I tried 2 different phones (iPhone and android phone). Both were switched off before inserting the cards.

Now, a few hours later, I tried again, same problem. I also tried registering on every network manually.
The Joe card registers, receives sms messages, not only from the network operator, but also from another phone.

Very strange.
Can it be that I have to visit France first before being able to make the first call ?

you can visit the "cockpit" application and see what's happend...
download it from the wifi.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...oemobile&hl=fr
find the same on itunes.

you must have some money to begin to use joe mobile....

This prepaid plan includes 4G now?

How is the 4G network coverage?

> This prepaid plan includes 4G now?

think so.

> How is the 4G network coverage?

see SFR network coverage

I downloaded the app on android, it's just the website. The app on iOS is a paid one, so I didn't download that one.

I see this:
Also, as I said, I activated the "Votre forfait : 4G" (30 euro, 20 euro + 10 euro for 4Gb extra).
Or do I have to assign the 5,00€ in my "cagnotte" to this card? If that's the case, how ? :-) I can't find it.

Thanks !

Yes, that's possible and would match my observations made on a French Orange "Mobicarte" a couple of years ago. The SIM did register on German networks, SMS worked, but the phone number was unavailable until it was registered for the first time on its home network.

Hi

I'm back from my trip to France.

Despite the fact that my account (cagnotte) has 5 euro's I was unable to sent international SMS's, make call to cellphones. I was able to sent SMS's to french numbers, access mobile internet and make free call's to fixed numbers in Belgium.

My account still shows 5 euro's.

I couldn't find a way to assign these 5 euro's to the simcard.
I looks like these 5 euro's are only available to buy a new card or to buy a new bundle.

That was probably also the reason why I couldn't use the card while in Belgium (where all activity would cost some cash...).

Anyway, I had a phone with dual sim, and sent sms's from that second sim, so no problems there.

Yves

You should have added an extra of 5€, which would have been deducted from your Cagnotte ;)

Has anyone been able to use this without an EU credit card?

Is it still limited to credit cards from neighboring countries only, no way to top up at shops or any other way?

As it is a subscription service (even if it hasn't any contract), you can't "top up" this sim, except when you need some extras ;)

So you can't add the data bundles, without a credit card from neighboring country.

Because you can't buy credit at the shops either.

More for people from neighboring countries whose credit cards can be used online.

Has anyone tested if VoIP/SIP is blocked by Joe or not?

Good bye Joe: https://communaute.joemobile.fr/t5/B...ie/ba-p/632008

It recommends a transfer to Virgin

The Virgin offer to Joe customers starts from €4.99 a month, and includes something described as "fonctionnalité de blocage de votre forfait avec COCKPIT CONSO", the ability to block your package.

That sounds similar to the function on/off at Joe, but I'll read more about it later to check.

Edit: I'm not convinced the meaning of the word is the same. People on the Joe forum are saying Virgin doesn't have that on/off function.

Edit again: it's not the same thing. Virgin doesn't have an on/off facility, confirmed by their staff. See below.

Well. That is not the issue.
JoeMobile used to be a good choice for people not having a French bank account or French bank card. You could combine their rolling contracts with certain credit cards from neigbouring countries. Even people not having these, found a workaround with Neteller and Entropay.

As as far I know, Virgin mobile is NOT ACCEPTING these cards. So it's not an option for foreigners.
So, has anyone been able to connect a contract (forfait) of Virgin mobile France with a non-French payment system?

We are not talking about their prepaid cards (cartes prepayées) which are very overpriced, but their contracs (forfaits).

I checked their forum and they said: "Virgin Mobile accepte le paiement par Carte Bancaire, MasterCard et Visa ! "
Now, we need to find out, if these MasterCards or Visas need to be French ones.

Good point.

I'd been thinking about that foreign payment card issue, trying to find some discussion on the forum or the FAQ about it - nothing I've seen yet - and was coming back to edit my post.

There are one or two Belgians asking that it appears that French residency is required, but not all the questions are getting answers as the other readers perhaps don't know (though the staff should be able to say something).

Maybe I'll ask on there later, or join the Virgin forum to ask.

If not, I just added a bundle to mine yesterday just to keep it alive, even though the chance of a visit next month is only 5 to 10%. I might ask for a refund.

This was the "revolutionary" with JoeMobile. They allowed some non-French payment systems to be associated with their contracts.
Generally, the providers are very strict in France: French contracts only with a French payment system (Carte Bancaire or French credit card).

There are many options like Simyo, B&You and Virgin offering good prices on contracts, but are all inaccessible for foreigners.

And their pay-as-you-go SIM cards are really not an option.

According to the active French community in the prepaid WIKI, you are left with these choices (not having a French bank card):
- Bouygues (prepaid card)
- Free (contracts and prepaid) with limited coverage
- Lebara mobile (prepaid)
- Lycamobile (prepaid)
- Orange (prepaid = Mobicarte and Let's go)
- SFR (prepaid and contracts).

With "contracts" i mean "forfaits", which can be cancelled anytime by free will. The French hybrid between pre- and postpaid.
With the end of JoeMobile, France becomes once again a very inaccessible country for foreigners to get a good rate for your mobile.

I didn't know that SFR and Free accepted foreign credit cards. :eek: And even if you could subscribe a forfait, any French carrier requires a French address... so how would you get your sim card?

Anyway, avoid the Mobicarte from Orange: 3G is limited to UMTS speeds (yes, the original 384kbps of the first 3G mobiles :D)

From some comments on the Joe forum, maybe blocage is the possibility to avoid exceeding the monthly bundle, rather than to turn it off completely.

The Virgin forum looks rather less active, but I asked some questions there anyway.

@ Orange: Mobicarte really sucks for data. For voice and text it's ok. But data is like on 2G. But they sell you their Let's go pass for data (2GB for 10€) even on 4G/LTE, but no voice.

@ SFR: Yes they do. For prepaid cards (La Carte) you can buy vouchers. Their contracts called "SFR Connecté Partout forfait sans engagement" can be linked to an American Express card or paid by intern. Visa or Mastercard in SFR stores only.

@ Free: Their "forfait sans engagement can be combined with some non-French credit cards, but of course not all :-) They now sell 1-month forfaits in Free stores from automated machines too.

The whole situation in France is really crazy. That's why it's so bad, that one of the few good choices now disappears.

@andy
Thanks for asking Virgin. Problem is that many French people don't really notice the wall they build around their telecom market as they all have French payment systems available. Saying this, I have to admit we do it quite similar in the UK and Germany when we allow only domestic-issued credit cards for top-ups. But at least we sell the SIM cards to foreigners.

You asked at the Virgin forum, if you need to be resident in France to get a forfait. Sure, they tell you: Non: The French don't discriminate foreigners. It's not about residency. But to get a French bank card or account, you need to be registered in France. And for a Virgin forfait you presumably need one of those. So in the end, that's what it's all about and the right question.

SFR prepaid is not so interesting, and even their prepaid data offer is really expensive.

Yes, I read something about the "bornes automatiques", but it was more than a year ago... Do you know if that offer renews monthly or not?

Replies at Virgin forum, including staff:

No cockpit on/off, that useful feature at Joe

No foreign bank cards

The first counts it out for me anyway, but I asked them to reconsider the cards, on behalf of others.

http://communaute.virginmobile.fr/t5...166151#U166151

Vive la France :-)

ok, i will stick to my togglemobile ;-)

I've used Let's Go a couple of times. Pricey though, 20 Euro for 2 GB after paying for the SIM.

Good speed and coverage though.

Was going to check out the Bouygues next time, supposedly you can top off 2 Euro like 4 times and get 2 GB.

Also maybe hunt down a Free vending machine though they're kind of away from the center of Paris (away from the Seine).

Never investigated Joe because I couldn't find a good way to top off. Why did they end the service, because they couldn't get enough business? Whey didn't they distribute the SIMs and top offs at the SFR stores?

Because "every Euro matters", as Mr. Drahi said: http://www.universfreebox.com/articl...n-mode-terreur

If they ever allow EU data roaming, some of these larger carriers are going to be uncompetitive.

How is it that prices and data allotments in Italy are more generous?

And the networks there are fine, great coverage and speeds too.

> Edit again: it's not the same thing. Virgin doesn't have an on/off facility, confirmed by their staff. See below.

cockpit blocks calls/data/SMS out of the offer to keep the same price. that's all.

It's a shame SFR have decided to close down Joe Mobile, I have decided to switch providers in the UK from T mobile to 3 and that way this summer I can use the feel at home service. In france they have partnered with orange and free which works for me. My other holiday destination is Spain and the feel at home service is offered there. This Easter I am using my Joe sim for the last time

So is/was Joe the only provider to offer the on/off facility? This was my ideal provider for France and gave me all the flexibility I wanted - a real pity it is closing. I could have it on a cheap setting when there for a few days, and turn it up to plenty of data and unlimited calls (inc. to UK) when there for an extended time. I am struggling to find a decent alternative - are there any??

Really? where did you heard this ?

sorted by QoS:

if u speak a little french go to a LECLERC shop (walmart competitor) and ask to REGLOMOBILE offer.

try FREE order a simcard on https://mobile.free.fr/couverture/bo...teractive.html

other possibility, lycamobile or lebara.fr websites...

last solution : symacom.