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France Telecom has no monopoly on the physical line connection any more. That means that you can order you telephone line from anyone you wish. However, in practice, to create a new physical phone line, you may still need to ask France Telecom to install it before you can pass to another company. Beware that contrary to certain countries, the previous subscriber's phone number is never carried over to a new subscriber. The only thing you can do with the previous subscriber's number is to identify the line. You cannot use it for signing up for any type of subscription in that number.

If you want a high-speed Internet connection in addition to your telephone, please skip the rest of this chapter and go directly to Internet.

If you read this, it means that all you want is a phone line, perhaps a fax and perhaps a dial-up Internet connection via a classic phone line (RTC).

Your most simple choice is a basic France Telecom phone line. You pay a subscription and all call charges to them.

As France Telecom doesn't offer the lowest call rates, you may want to use a secondary operator, either by dialling a code before each call or by setting up an automatic pre-selection to route all calls through the secondary operator.

In either case, you still pay the France Telecom subscription but you pay the secondary operator for calls routed through them.

Note that special-rate numbers such as those beginning with 08 are always routed through France Telecom and billed by them.

Note: When comparing minute rates between the operators, then don't forget to count the initial charges that are sometimes well hidden. Most fixed operators bill per second, but there are usually other charges:
Connection charge: Fixed charge per call. This could cost as much as a 10 minute call.
Crédit temps: "Credit time". The classic French system of charging a fixed amount for a specified minimum call duration before switching to second billing.
Higher initial second rate: A recent method to look cheap. Calls may be billed per second from the first second, but the seconds during the first minute are more expensive.

Teleconnect. "Anglopack" offer from Budget Telecom, all in English. They offer landline, mobile and ADSL. No dégroupage.
Neuf Cegetel. Large operator.
Alice.
Tele2.
Universal Telecom. Low-cost operator. One of the cheapest, but beware the connection charge.
France Télécom. The State operator. Reliable quality. Customer service is as mediocre as you would expect from a formerly public company.
Budget Telecom. Low-cost operator. Occasional drop-outs experienced. Inconvenience: You must charge your account in advance. Internet-based management.
Telerabais. Call to European and other destinations at local rates without subscription. Very cheap, but you pay for the time it takes to dial the number, including if the number called is occupied. Inconvenience: You have to dial a 10-digit number before every international call. In practice, the only user feedback I have heard of was that it doesn't work from public telephones.

Adapters

You can buy adapters for foreign telephones, faxes and modems from specialist stores. A foreign modem may or may not support the French telephone system. If it does not, you need a converter. If it does, you just need an adaptor plug that you can buy in a shop.

Adapter Stores
Multitel. International Telephone adapters.
Teleadapt UK/Europe. Adapters for foreign telephone plugs.
Teleadapt US. Adapters for foreign telephone plugs.

Fax

You are settling in France for professional purposes and would like to have a fax? Do you share your voice line or do you buy a separate fax line? The choice is not obvious. Sharing your voice line means people cannot fax to you during perhaps lengthy phone calls. You also need to filter voice and fax calls, meaning that if you don't answer quickly enough, voice callers may hear a fax tone. If you transfer calls to your mobile, for example, faxes will be lost. A separate fax line is expensive, because you need to reserve a complete telephone subscription for it, and you won't be using much of its capacity. If you don't get your new fax number on the off-directory list (liste rouge) immediately, then you will be spammed with commercial faxes after just a couple of months. It's illegal, unless the receiver is a business, but no one cares, and public prosecutors in most cases cannot be bothered to pursue complaints. In my own case, I have estimated that about half of an ink cartridge has been wasted on ink-intensive commercial faxes, and when I needed to receive my annual accounts from my accountant, there was no more ink left; the spammers had wasted it. The solution: Receive your faxes by e-mail. There are several providers, and they issue you with your own fax number. Be sure that it's a geographic number, for example in Paris, and not an overcharged 08-number that may not be reachable from abroad. www.arobase.org/services/fax.htm has already gathered a small list of providers. I went for www.comparateleasyfax.com, which provides a decent service for a decent price: €29.90 incl. VAT per 3 months for unlimited fax reception; cheaper if you pay for a year at a time. They set it up the same day. It's really simple - much simpler than configuring a fax machine. Faxes are converted to image files and sent to you by e-mail and also accessible on their server on the Internet. I have used it for many year with never even the slightest hint of a reason to complain. It may be possible to find a cheaper service, but this one is a no-hassle service, and if you run a business, you have other things to do than chasing a bad provider. I do NOT get a commission, but between all the bad service you get in France, it's only fair to point out when something's working. Not only is it cheaper than a line subscription, you also save the ink, and you can access your faxes during travel. Spam is deleted at a push on a button. Of course, you need a mailbox that is large enough for several image files. Google's Gmail will do if your ISP doesn't give you enough space. It is also advisable to be on high-speed Internet. If you want the convenience of faxing by sliding the paper in a fax instead of using scanner/computer/modem, then you can plug the fax machine into your voice line and deactivate automatic answering, as it will be handling only outgoing faxes. You can also leave it without ink and paper. Just deactivate the printing of a 'send confirmation' page. If you have a scanner and you're happy doing it all on your computer, then you can save the fax machine too.

Mobile / Cell

In France, there are three mobile operators (SFR, Orange, Bouygues) with their own networks and more and more virtual operators that rent the physical network from the three aforementioned operators. In French, the English term MVNO - Mobile Virtual Network Operator - has been retained. They are also known as opérateurs virtuels. While I have little experience with the virtual operators, the three physical operators have a reputation for very bad customer service. As for technical quality, major independent surveys conclude that the SFR and Orange networks globally provide a slightly better cover than the Bouygues network. Most of France is covered, and the 3 physical operators are working together to provide common cover of the remaining parts. SFR consistently comes out with the best cover in the high-speed trains TGV, while only Orange covers Monaco entirely.

It is very easy to change to another operator and keep your mobile phone number, and it only takes 10 days. After checking that you are not obliged to remain client until a certain date (période d'engagement), all you have to do is sign up with the new operator and ask them to take over your existing mobile phone number. You must ask at the time you sign up, or it will be impossible to keep your number with that operator. The new operator will cancel your contract with the existing operator. You most definitely should not cancel your existing contract yourself if you want to keep your number. If you do, you may lose your number.

Add-on operators for cheap international calls

These operators require that you first have a cellphone operator from which you call the add-on operator's server in France. The add-on operator then bills you for the international call instead of the cellphone operator. Because the traditional cellphone operators charge an arm and a leg for international calls, there are savings to be had if you regularly phone abroad from your French mobile while in France.

Teleconnect. "Anglopack" offer from Budget Telecom, all in English. They offer landline, mobile and ADSL. No dégroupage.
Vonroz. Fixed monthly prices for unlimited calls. Note, you have to pre-store each number abroad on their system before you can call a number.
MobileGlobe. Beware that the savings they advertise do not include the cost of the mobile call to their server. They charge in steppings of a minute at a time (hidden in their T&C). One headline claims it works from abroad, which is incorrect and contradictory to what they say elsewhere. You must prepay into an account - which will be cleared by them if you don't use the service for a few months. They reserve the right to modify their prices at any time without notice. That is illegal under European and French consumer law.

The Physical Networks

There are 3 physical, independent networks in France. Orange and SFR offer the best cover. Whether the SFR or Orange network suits you best depend on local conditions. SFR provides the best cover in TGV trains while only Orange covers the whole of Monaco. Orange generally seems to provide a more complete cover of the territory. If you have a bad signal where you are, a swap to another network may solve the problem. If you have signed a contract with an engagement preventing you from cancelling the first 12 or 24 months (typical if a phone is included) and you find out that you don't have a signal at home, then you are entitled to cancel the contract anyway, but you must act quickly and send the cancellation by recorded letter with acknowledgement of receipt. When choosing an operator, take into account which physical network they use. You could ask neighbours which network gives them an acceptable signal. Roaming on another physical network than the one you're attached to is impossible in France. Only if you have a foreign SIM card can you roam between the French networks, depending on the agreements between the operators.

On the following three sites, you can study your local cover for the three physical networks:
Orange: http://couverture-reseau.orange.fr/france/netenmap.php
SFR: www.sfr.fr/assistance/reseau-sfr-france/
Bouygues: www.couverture.bouyguestelecom.fr/eci_11/accueil/index.html

Operators with their own networks

Bouygues
Orange 
SFR  

Virtual operators that rent their network (MVNO)

In French, the English term MVNO - Mobile Virtual Network Operator - has been retained. They are also known as opérateurs virtuels. 

Afone Mobile. Rents its network from SFR. Only for business or professionals.
Auchan Mobile. Rents its network from SFR. Auchan is a major supermarket chain.
Breizh Mobile. Rents its network from Orange.
Budget Mobile. Rents its network from Bouygues.
Carrefour Mobile. Rents its network from Orange. Carrefour is a major supermarket chain.
Casino Mobile. Rents its network from Orange. Casino is a major supermarket chain.
Coriolis. Rents its network from SFR. 
Leclerc Mobile. Rents its network from SFR. E. Leclerc is a major supermarket chain.
Mobisud. Rents its network from SFR. 
NRJ Mobile. Rents its network from Orange and SFR
Prixtel. Unlimited calls for 50 euros a month. Rents its network from SFR.
Sim+. Rents its network from SFR. 
Simplicime. Rents its network from SFR.
Simyo. Low-cost virtual operator. Rents its network from Bouygues.
Tele2 Mobile. Rents its network from Orange. 
Teleconnect. "Anglopack" offer from Budget Telecom, all in English. They offer landline, mobile and ADSL. No dégroupage. Rents its network from Bouygues.
Transatel. Multi-country virtual operator. Mainly for business. Rents its network from Bouygues.
Virgin Mobile. Richard Branson expands in France. Rents its network from Orange. Virgin has interesting prices for low consumption users.
Zéro Forfait. Rents its network from SFR.

Brand names from the physical operators or MVNOs

Fnac. Rents its network from Orange. Fnac is a major media store chain.
M6 Mobile is provided by Orange.
U Mobile. Rents its network from Orange. Super U is a major supermarket chain.
Universal is provided by Bouygues.

Internet

You can get a pack of ADSL high-speed Internet connection at several megabits, unlimited phone calls to landlines in France and 40 countries and a pack of TV channels for €30 a month. There is a high availability of ADSL throughout France, although some rural areas are still not covered. 
In cities, cable operators also provide a similar service.
Bi-directional satellite access is available at affordable prices in case you cannot find any other reasonable access.
A few local communities are installing wi-fi for local cover. 
It is a stated government policy that the entire population should have access to high-speed Internet in one form or another, and work is in progress to assure that it will happen. 

The only thing that lags behind is customer service and reliability, which are extremely lousy everywhere, France Telecom/Orange, Free and SFR included. Deadlines are frequently not respected, and you may find yourself without Internet for several days or weeks. If you are running a business that could collapse without Internet, you may want to consider two independent Internet connections, for example by ADSL and satellite.

If your geographical area is dégroupé, then you don't need France Telecom for your physical line. You can use a single alternative operator for phone and Internet. Phone calls are routed through the ADSL connection (VoIP) in that case, via a sophisticated modem (usually called box - Freebox, Livebox, Neufbox, Alicebox, Dartybox...), not the older RTC standard that phones normally use. But beware that if your Internet connection or the mains supply goes, so does your phone - and TV channels if your pack includes them. Also beware that before you can get rid of the France Telecom line, you must sign up for one. In practice, it means that you cannot degroup your line without having an active France Telecom line. With RTC, you can still use your phone, since it is powered through the phone line (unless it's a wireless or other model that needs a mains plug). The sound quality of the IP telephony that you get with dégroupage is better than the older RTC lines in my experience. A fax plugged into a degrouped line on a box is not guaranteed to work, and private alarm systems that must be in connection with an alarm central may not work either on such a pack. So, be careful to adapt your telephone solution to your needs. You may need to keep an old-fashioned RTC phone line with France Telecom. A disadvantage of dégroupage is that you can no longer use pre-selection to route your calls through a cheaper operator for mobile calls or international calls to destinations not included in the free call pack.

ISDN lines (RNIS in French) are competitively priced and may be worth considering for Internet connection if ADSL is not yet available, although you should look at a satellite package before considering the outdated ISDN. France Télécom call this service Numeris. It is available throughout the territory.

Change of ISP

There is a high probability that you will be fed up with your ISP one day or another because of the high frequency of poor service and technical problems. You can change your ISP as you wish, but the inconvenience is that your Internet connection is interrupted during the switchover, often during an unknown period. If your Internet access is by ADSL, the only way to get around this is to have France Telecom install a second physical phone line if you don't already have one, and to order the new Internet connection on the phone line that doesn't already have Internet installed. Once the new connection is working, you can cancel the previous connection. If you run a business that depends on Internet, this may well be worth the additional cost.

Internet Service Providers

In French: FAI: Fournisseur d'Accès Internet

Hints: Check cancellation fees. Check connection fees. Check if a modem is sold/rented and the cost. Check the cost of the helpline. Check that they don't stack options you don't want on by default.

Test your line on several ISPs for eligibility:
Test-ligne-adsl.com

ADSL:
Dartybox.
Teleconnect. "Anglopack" offer from Budget Telecom, all in English. They offer landline, mobile and ADSL. No dégroupage.
Orange (France Telecom).
Akéo.
Club Budget. Targets expats and non-degrouped areas.
Free.
Bouygues.
Alice. Owned by Free.
Nordnet.
SFR.

Cable:
Numéricable

Satellite, Wimax, Wifi:
If you need a high-speed Internet connection and no other services are available, consider getting a satellite connection. Bi-directional links are now affordable. 
With a bi-directional link, both upload and download pass through the satellite link. 
With a mono-directional link, only the download passes through the satellite link and you need a phone line and an old-fashioned 56k modem connection for upload. The mono-directional solutions are now outdated and will presumably disappear in the foreseeable future.
Numeo. High-speed bi-directional satellite Internet connection for the French. Also Wimax and Wifi. Soon ADSL. No prices online.
Sat2way. High-speed bi-directional satellite Internet connection for the French. No prices online.
Nordnet. High-speed bi-directional satellite Internet connection for the French. No prices online. Subsidiary of France Telecom/Orange.
Viveole. High-speed bi-directional satellite Internet connection for the French market via Astra. Affordable prices close to ADSL prices.
skyDSL. Mono-directional satellite Internet connection. Not recommended.
SES-ASTRA. ASTRA main site. Points to Vivéole.

Sites comparing several ISPs:
Edcom

MINITEL

is the French predecessor for the Internet. They rolled it out to the public at least 10 years before the Internet started getting known, and they were the only ones in the world to do so. You can access servers, such as for example the white and yellow pages through your telephone line. But beware that many services are charged at considerable minute rates. In its traditional form, it is a low speed, low-tech, text only system, but it works. If you don't want a special minitel device, you can install software on your PC to make it act as a minitel. All you need is the PC, a modem or ISDN connection, and the software. If you use the new Iminitel software, which is free of charge, you can access all the Minitel services through a single access number, 3622, and through normal modem or ISDN speed.

Minitel is on its way out, as the Internet is much more powerful. If you have a good Internet connection, I don't see any need for Minitel anymore, and I would not advise spending a single euro on Minitel equipment or software.

Links for accessing Minitel through the Internet
Minitel. Access the Minitel network through the Internet.
Iminitel. Free software to access Minitel at high speed from a PC.

French keyboards use AZERTY layout, whereas most other keyboards use the QWERTY layout. This means that a few letters - and many of the other symbols - are placed in different places. However, the French keyboard obviously allows direct or composite typing of French accented letters, whereas for example a UK keyboard makes that impossible without entering the 3- or 4-digit code for the letter. If you work regularly with different keyboards, then you are likely to keep making typing errors. Under Windows, you can plug in a different keyboard and quite easily tell windows what layout it is.

Software bought in France is, not surprisingly, in French. Fortunately, Internet shopping has made it easy to order the language version you want from other countries. Ordering from Amazon UK or simply downloading from the manufacturer is an easy way to buy English software. If you prefer using English software, then you wouldn't have much use of a new computer with pre-installed, French software.

Without being able to produce statistics, it is my impression that the French electricity supply suffers more power drops than what I was used to in the UK, Germany, Luxembourg and Denmark. Many of these power drops last only a few seconds, but that is enough to shut down a computer the hard way. In windy areas like the Rhône valley, where the Mistral can be quite strong, it seems that power lines are regularly damaged by the wind, not having been designed to withstand strong wind or maybe not having been maintained correctly. Given the high number of power drops lasting only a few seconds, it would seem that the French power grid does not have the built-in protection against these interruptions that exist in other countries' power grids. A UPS battery backup power supply, called onduleur in France, is a good idea to prevent data loss, and many use them in France. It will assure that a power drop lasting only a few minutes will have no impact on your computer, and it will give you time to shut down your computer correctly if the power drop lasts longer.

Computer tube screens from countries south of Equator may not display properly in France. Cathode ray screens are manufactured with a built-in compensation for the Earth's magnetic field, which are different on the northern and southern hemispheres. Before bringing such equipment, check with the manufacturer if it will work. LCD screens are not concerned.

Standards for terrestrial analogue TV and VHS differ from country to country. Detailed technical information here.

• The UK broadcasts in PAL-I. Video tapes are recorded in PAL.
• France broadcasts in SECAM. Video tapes may be recorded in SECAM or PAL.
• Most other European countries broadcast in PAL-B/G. Video tapes are recorded in PAL.
• America broadcasts in NTSC. Video tapes are recorded in NTSC.

But if you receive your TV channels by digital satellite, then these old standards are irrelevant for you, and you will be just fine bringing over your TV set, whether it supports SECAM or not.

DVDs sold in France will usually have the option for English soundtrack and subtitles.

If you bring equipment to France that does not support SECAM and you intend to tune in to French terrestrial channels or watch VHS in SECAM format, then you may consider buying a transcoder. It cannot receive TV channels itself, but if you use a French video recorder as a tuner, an appropriate transcoder will make it possible to watch French channels on a PAL or NTSC TV. The colour balance may not be perfect for the cheapest models. Note that a transcoder may not work with the output from cable operators' decoders.

Transcoders
Goyona France
Vortex
World-Import

All equipment sold in France is multi standard and can be used without problems in countries broadcasting in PAL-B/G. NTSC and PAL-I may also be supported by some models.

TV on Internet

AB Web. 20 free channels on the Internet, including the French/English news channel France24. You need to enter a French address and phone number. You will easily find a French address on viamichelin. All you need is a postcode, town, street and street number, then a phone number on the white or yellow pages. You will need to download and install software from the site. An English version of the software is available.
TF1. French TV channel 1.
CanalSat. CanalSat is the main satellite package but they also have a subscription for TV on the web.

Cable

In cities and large towns, many properties are connected to cable TV. This may be less interesting for foreigners, because the vast majority of the channels are in French.

NumeriCable. French cable TV.

Satellite

CanalSat. The main French satellite package, broadcast from the Astra 1M satellite at 19.2 degrees east. This may be of little interest to foreigners, because nearly all the channels are French. 
AB Sat. Alternative satellite package.

Outside France, you can receive some of the French terrestrial TV channels in clear digital and SECAM analogue on the Atlantic Bird 3 satellite at 5.0 degrees west if you are in the zone covered by the satellite (footprint). See Lyngsat for technical details. 

French satellite radio is available on the Atlantic Bird 3 and Astra 1M satellites.

BBC 1-4, BBC News 24, CBBC, Cbeebies, ITV 1-4, Channel 4, E4, More 4, Channel Five, Sky News, CNN, Euronews, France24 in English, Al Jazeera in English, Film4, True Movies 1-2, Men & Motors, Movies4men 1-2, Zone Reality, Zone Horror and various other English TV and radio channels are broadcast in clear from the Astra 2D satellite at 28.2 degrees east, which can easily be received throughout France with as little as a 65 cm satellite dish. These channels offer a vast choice of quality movies. All the channels mentioned in this paragraph can be tuned in with any digital satellite receiver and without having a card/subscription. Before rushing out to buy an expensive SKY package, take the time to check out the free channels on Lyngsat or elsewhere to find out if you really need more channels than what you can get free of charge. Programme listings are available on UK TV Guide (choose Freesat when the site asks for your preference). For further information about films and to find out if they are worth watching, check out the International Movie Database on www.imdb.com.

The exact frequencies are listed at the satellite listing site Lyngsat. Depending on your receiver, the frequencies may not be pre-coded, in which case you'll have to add them manually. BBC 3 and 4, CBBC and Cbeebies have the particular feature that they turn off the signal when programmes end, so you need to tune them in during daytime for CBBC and Cbeebies and evening for BBC 3 and 4.

If you want the full SKY package, you need a SKY card and a Digibox to decode the signals. SKY will only sell the card and the decoder to someone who can provide a UK address. A few shops abroad sell the decoders and the subscriptions. 

If you want to watch programs from more than one satellite, then you need a motorised satellite dish and a satellite receiver that supports it. A satellite dish can only receive channels from the satellite it is physically pointed to, so if you fit a fixed dish and point it to CanalSat on Astra 1M, you cannot receive the UK channels on Astra 2D. That a dish is motorised means that a motor fitted on the dish physically moves the dish to point it to the satellite corresponding to the TV or radio channel you select on the receiver. Once the receiver is programmed, the dish moving is automatic. With some technical and DIY skill, you can fit it yourself. Many French satellite firms will only fit fixed dishes, either because they are not competent for motorised dishes or to avoid complications with customers who don't know how to use it once fitted.

Danish expats can find Danish satellite packages on www.viasat.dk.

If you have a TV set, you must pay a TV licence, even if you cannot or do not tune in to a single bonjour.  See the tax section.

French TV Stations

Films broadcast on the French channels are mostly dubbed in French, leaving little pleasure for English speakers. Arte broadcasts original versions with subtitles. TF1 and M6 occasionally transmits both the original soundtrack and the dubbed sound on satellite, cable and ADSL.

The 'historic' TV channels

TF1. French TV channel 1. Some movies in original version. Can be viewed directly on the Internet.
France 2. French TV channel 2.
France 3. French TV channel 3. Regional versions and news.
France 5. French TV channel 5.
Arte. French/German TV Arte. Movies in original version. Broadcast on the same frequence as France 5 on terrestrial TV.
Canal +. French TV Canal Plus. Coded.
M6. French TV channel 6. Some movies in original version.

Digital channels (cable, satellite, ADSL ...)

France 4. French TV channel 4.
France Ô. For and about French overseas territories.
France24. English and French news. France's answer to CNN.
TV5 Europe. French channel for an international public.

Further channels are listed on 
Wikipedia
CanalSat
NumeriCable

French Radio Stations

RadioStationWorld: French radio stations on the Internet.
Radio France.

Other TV and Radio Related Sites

Télésatellite. Satellite TV magazine.