Having had a bit of a nightmare with SFR recently - 25 days to repair an exterior cut cable (don’t ask!) - I started looking for an alternative solution for our home internet. I can’t go near orange - hate them, so I started a trial with the new (launched Jan 2017) 4G Box from Bouygues @ 32,99€ pm including rental.
So far - bloody brilliant. I get unlimited internet with average download speeds of 45Mbps and upload of 35Mbps. My IPTV is fully connected and functional, great connectivity for our PC’s, mobiles, tablettes, IP Camera’s (local and external access) and our home security system (EPS).
Essentially it’s a Huawei E5180 4G Router which simply and quickly connects to our local 4G mobile network. No need for any ADSL lines / cables for the supply which, as we simply don’t need our landline anymore, is just great! And…no contract.
It’s not available for everyone and is currently being rolled out to selected ‘low population’ areas so as not to be too much of a drain on the local 4G infrastructure. If you’re interested you can perform an eligibility test using the first link above.
I’m 20 days into my 30 day free trial but it looks increasingly likely that I’ll be waving goodbye to SFR! Fabulous
Hmm, I’m a bit in two minds about this. I plugged our 'phone number and address into the web page and it came up with that 4G offering and the coverage map states that we are covered by 4G, but, my mobile uses the Bouyg network so I did a speed test and got 1.03mb download and 3.4 mb upload so not 4G then but 3G at a push. I then looked at the location of the 4G masts and the nearest one to us is some 50kms away so no chance in hell of getting 4G here. I have been looking as our Orange ADSL gives us a max of 1.2mb download and 512kb upload.
Well Lawrence, no need to be in two minds! If you only have 1.03mb download on your local Bouygues mobile network, I wouldn’t touch the 4G box with a barge pole! It simply won’t work effectively. Doesn’t your mobile phone show you what type / speed of network you’re connected to?
Yep, that’s why I was scepitical about the offer and the coverage map showing that this area was covered by 4G, my mobile states that the connection is 2G/3G LTE. I really don’t know why the web pages show such a wide area covered by 4G when it’s just not true.
There’s a sign about 100 meters down the road from my house that informs you that your are entering a zone of super fast fibre broadband. It’s bullshit and only applies to a small portion of the network in Dax, I get three meg on a good day.
Not entirely relevant to your discussion but I’m allowed to rant too no?
Hi Simon
I caught your post while looking for a solution to my internet issue. My Orange connection was unreliable, slow, and has been for years but being in the Burgundian countryside I just accepted that this was the way it was! This year it was so bad as to be unusable.
I am fortunate as I am within line of sight of the 4G mast about 2-3 km away, so seeing your post, I signed up and the results so far after 4 days are fantastic. I simply cannot believe how fast it is and how easy it was to set up. I would definitely recommend it as an alternative if you can get 4G.
Here’s hoping my disconnection from Orange is as smooth!
Disconnecting from SFR has, so far, been relatively straightforward - amazingly they have been incredibly helpful and polite to me ever since I cancelled my subscription and waved goodbye to my fixed line! They even waived their 49€ cancellation fee. Shame they weren’t so nice when I was a customer.
They’ve given me a Chronopost label to return all their equipment foc which I’m doing tomorrow. I’ve taken pics of each item and all of them together in the box I’m sending them…just in case
Cancelled Orange on Friday via the English helpline. Supposedly no forfeit to pay as I have been a customer for 11 years. However I’m still awaiting my confirmatory email - though the Orange shop found my account when I returned he equipment and provided a receipt for it. If nothing arrives by Friday this week I’ll call again.
