Last verified: 5 October 2026, based on the official pages cited at the bottom of the page.

Arriving in France and looking for a SIM card? Start by comparing how the offers work, then the contract conditions. Here are the points to check before choosing and signing.

Three types of offers

The DGCCRF distinguishes three offers: prepaid card, blocked plan and standard plan.

With a prepaid card, the price you pay gives you a credit for calls, texts and data; each use of the services is deducted from your credit according to the offer's rates.

The credit has a validity period, usually extended if you top up; the line is kept for a period generally longer than the credit itself.

The blocked plan works on the same principle: the credit is automatically topped up and billed each month; unused credit does not carry over to the next month, unless the operator offers this option, and it cannot generate out-of-plan charges.

The standard plan offers a set of services for a fixed amount; services not included are billed per use, as out-of-plan charges, on the next bill.

SIM or eSIM?

The DGCCRF defines the eSIM as a virtual SIM card directly integrated into the device, to be activated according to the operator's procedure.

Not all operators offer this service and not all phones are compatible.

Before signing: the information you must receive

In a shop, at a fair or at an exhibition, the operator must give you a free contract summary before the contract is signed; this document is part of the contract.

This summary must state, in particular, the features of the services, activation fees, recurring or usage-related charges, as well as the duration and main conditions for renewal and cancellation.

For a distance contract, before you confirm your order, the operator must inform you in particular about the price, the contract duration, any minimum duration, renewal conditions and remedies in case of dispute.

If you are approached at home, at work or in the street, a pre-contractual document must be given to you before the contract is signed.

This document must include, in particular, the seller's identity, the features of the service, the total price including all taxes, payment terms and withdrawal conditions.

Without French bank details (RIB)

To sign up for a television, internet or phone contract, you must provide, according to Service Public, an identity card, proof of address (justificatif de domicile) and your bank account details.

The contract must specify the payment methods offered and their conditions.

The Banque de France sets out a general rule for creditors and bill issuers: transfers and direct debits must be accepted to and from all accounts in the SEPA area, without discrimination; a French creditor cannot refuse an IBAN issued in another country of this area.

If you experience IBAN discrimination, you can report it to the DGCCRF on the site signal.conso.gouv.fr.

Tip: if you do not yet have a bank account, start by looking at prepaid cards and compare the top-up options.

Commitment: what you are agreeing to

The operator cannot require a commitment of more than twenty-four months from the signing or modification of the contract.

Your commitment begins once you have given your consent.

If an option is free for a given period, the provider must obtain your consent at the end of that period before charging you for it.

For a commitment of more than twelve months, you can cancel early from the end of the twelfth month after accepting the clause, without paying the remaining monthly payments for the minimum contract period.

If the offer includes the sale of a subsidised terminal device, this termination from the end of the twelfth month may, however, be subject to payment of up to 20% of the amount due for the remaining part of the minimum contract period.

These provisions apply to contracts entered into from 1 January 2023.

If you have a 12-month commitment, terminating before the end of the term without a legitimate reason requires you to pay the remaining monthly payments until the end of the commitment.

Withdrawal: changing your mind

For a purchase of goods or services at a distance, by internet, phone or mail, you have a minimum period of 14 calendar days to change your mind.

For a phone or internet contract signed after a door-to-door sales approach, you have 14 calendar days to withdraw.

For a phone or internet contract signed in a shop, you cannot withdraw under this right of withdrawal.

For a phone subscription purchased at a distance, the withdrawal period starts the day after the contract is signed.

If this period ends on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, it is extended until the next working day.

Before the end of the period, send the seller the standard form provided with the contract or another written statement expressing your wish to withdraw.

If the service started at your express request before the end of the withdrawal period and you withdraw, you pay the amount corresponding to the service provided up to the time you communicate your decision, in proportion to the total price agreed in the contract.

If this total price is excessive, the appropriate amount is calculated based on the market value of what has been provided.

Termination: preparing your departure

If your contract has no commitment or the commitment has ended, you can terminate at any time, without giving a reason and without any fees related to the commitment.

Termination fees separate from the amounts still due can only be charged if they are expressly provided for in the contract.

When the contract was taken out online or can be managed online, the operator must allow you to terminate electronically, without requiring you to contact an advisor or send a letter.

Service Public lists as legitimate reasons for termination without fees events that make it impossible to continue the contract: dismissal, long-term hospitalisation, moving to an area not covered by the network, disability or illness preventing use of the service.

You must provide the operator with supporting documents corresponding to your situation.

Arcep specifies that legitimate reasons are set out in the general or specific terms and conditions of the operators, with each operator defining its own list.

According to Arcep, operators who are members of the Fédération française des télécoms have committed to including in their general terms and conditions a common list that includes moving abroad for an extended period.

When does termination take effect?

The notice period (préavis) cannot exceed ten days from the operator's receipt of your request; however, you can request a later effective date.

If the operator changes the contract

The proposed change must be notified to you clearly and understandably on a durable medium at least one month before it takes effect.

If you do not accept these new conditions, you can terminate without fees and without any right to compensation within four months of being notified of the proposed change.

These provisions do not apply if all the changes are exclusively to your benefit, purely administrative with no negative impact for you, or directly result from applicable legislation.

Preparing to change operator

The RIO, operator identity record, is a 12-digit or letter identifier to obtain before signing the contract with the new operator to request number portability.

To get your RIO, call 3179: the call and service are free from a mobile phone; you receive the RIO by voice server and then by SMS.

After obtaining your RIO, contact the new operator: they will handle the termination of the old subscription, the number porting, and the activation of the new subscription.

For this number portability process, do not cancel your old subscription yourself: the new operator will take care of it.

Using your plan outside France

In the European Union or the European Economic Area, when traveling, calls, SMS and mobile data can be used under the same pricing conditions as in France, within the limits of reasonable use.

Your contract may provide for a lower data allowance for your trips in Europe than what is available in France, according to the fair use limit it specifies.

The DGCCRF reminds you that roaming charges have been abolished since 15 June 2017 for customers temporarily traveling to another State in the European Union or the European Economic Area.

The DGCCRF warns that in European countries outside the European Union and the European Economic Area, such as Switzerland or Andorra, calls, SMS and mobile connections are billed at the international roaming rates of your contract.

On the DGCCRF page, the default worldwide roaming data cap is 60 euros, unless another cap is agreed in the contract.

The operator must send an alert at 80% of the cap and then at its limit; at this limit, access to roaming data is blocked unless you expressly request to continue.

This protection applies only to roaming data, and does not cover voice calls or SMS.

FAQ

How long does it take to port your mobile number?

The maximum time to complete number portability is in principle 3 working days from the request, unless you request a later date.

When signing the contract, you decide with the new operator on the day of the number porting.

What should you do with the equipment after cancellation?

A security deposit (dépôt de garantie) may be required when the contract is signed if this is provided for in the general terms and conditions of sale or service.

If equipment has been provided to you, such as an internet box or a TV decoder, you must return it under the conditions set out in the contract.

The security deposit must be refunded no later than 10 days after the equipment is returned.

Who should you contact to make a complaint?

If you have a problem, you can first contact customer service and then, if the problem persists, the operator's consumer service.

If no agreement is reached, you can refer the matter free of charge to the electronic communications mediator; a written complaint must have been sent to the operator before doing so.

Official resources

• “Phone, internet or television: signing the contract” (Service Public)
• “Distance selling: consumer right of withdrawal” (Service Public)
• “Phone, internet or television: cancelling the contract” (Service Public)
• “What are the conditions and consequences of contract cancellation by the consumer?” (Arcep)
• “Changing operator: mobile number portability” (Service Public)
• “Sub-section 3: Formation of the contract (Articles L224-28 to L224-32)” (Légifrance)
• “Section 6: Right of withdrawal applicable to contracts concluded at a distance and off-premises (Articles L221-18 to L221-28)” (Légifrance)
• “Sub-section 4: Performance of the contract (Articles L224-33 to L224-42-1)” (Légifrance)
• “Mobile telephony: how to choose your phone” (DGCCRF)
• “RIB, IBAN and BIC: the nicknames for your bank account details (RIB)” (Banque de France)

And what about Pionra?

Pionra does not replace your operator or the public consumer information services. It is a space to share your experience.

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