To access the Internet from your home, you will need to sign a contract with an Internet Service Provider, more commonly known as an ISP. Several players operate on the French market, most of them being telecom operators. Which ISP should you choose? Which offers would suit you best? Find answers to these questions in this guide and choose the best ISP for you.
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Our selection
"As one of the 3 largest telecommunications groups operating in the UK, SFR offers a wide variety of Internet access packages, with the best speeds…"
"Bouygues Telecom offers you fiber, ADSL and 4G Internet at unbeatable prices. With these offers, you will enjoy a very high speed connection while controlling…"
"Trust the largest Internet provider in the UK for your streaming or downloading. Orange offers you the best fiber and ADSL Internet offers on the…"
"Sosh is a subsidiary of Orange. You will find the best offers for fiber broadband Internet + fixed without commitment at competitive rates. A TV…"
As one of the 3 largest telecommunications groups operating in the UK, SFR offers a wide variety of Internet access packages, with the best speeds and responsive customer service.
From €16/month on sfr.frDiscover the attractive Internet access offers from SFR. For €35 per month with no commitment, the company gives you unlimited access to the Internet via a 4G+ box that provides up to 260 Mbps download speed. The operator also offers ADSL subscriptions starting at €16 per month for a 12-month commitment. Fiber is even more interesting. Two offers, SFR Fibre and SFR Fibre Power, let you enjoy a connection of up to 2 Gb/s for €35 per month for 12 months. 4K streaming is no problem with this type of subscription, which gives you access to SFR's customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Bouygues Telecom offers you fiber, ADSL and 4G Internet at unbeatable prices. With these offers, you will enjoy a very high speed connection while controlling your expenses.
From €15.99/month on bouyguestelecom.frBouygues Telecom is the second largest operator in the UK. It has also established itself as an Internet service provider with high-speed connections, good customer service and attractive prices. From €15.99 per month, you can take advantage of a high-speed ADSL Internet connection. For the same starting price, Bouygues Telecom offers a fiber optic subscription with speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to 2 Gbps depending on the offer. A 4G Box offer is available at very competitive rates. Bouygues Telecom will also take care of the cancellation costs with your former Internet service provider if you take out a new subscription.
Trust the largest Internet provider in the UK for your streaming or downloading. Orange offers you the best fiber and ADSL Internet offers on the market.
From €22.99/month on orange.frOrange Liveboxes are among the best fiber optic subscriptions in the UK. Your ISP guarantees a downstream speed that can reach 2 Gbps thanks to the fiber. The Livebox Up Fibre offer even includes unlimited access to Netflix and OCS series and unlimited calls in the UK, Europe, the USA and Canada for only €39.99 per month for 12 months. You can also subscribe to ADSL offers from €22.99 per month. All the equipment, but also the Orange TV decoder are included in the rates. As a subscriber, you will benefit from the H24 assistance of the Orange customer service.
Sosh is a subsidiary of Orange. You will find the best offers for fiber broadband Internet + fixed without commitment at competitive rates. A TV offer can be chosen as an option.
From €15.99/month on sosh.frAny specific needs?
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| TOP OF THE TOP | CHEAP | TOP OF THE LINE | EXCELLENT | |
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9/10 |
8/10 |
9/10 |
8/10 |
| OUR SELECTION |
SFR
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Bouygues Telecom
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Internet Service Provider Orange
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Sosh
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As one of the 3 largest telecommunications groups operating in the UK, SFR offers a wide variety of Internet access packages, with the best speeds and responsive customer service.
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Bouygues Telecom offers you fiber, ADSL and 4G Internet at unbeatable prices. With these offers, you will enjoy a very high speed connection while controlling your expenses.
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Trust the largest Internet provider in the UK for your streaming or downloading. Orange offers you the best fiber and ADSL Internet offers on the market.
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Sosh is a subsidiary of Orange. You will find the best offers for fiber broadband Internet + fixed without commitment at competitive rates. A TV offer can be chosen as an option.
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Internet Offers
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Fiber, ADSL, 4G Box |
Fiber, ADSL, Box 4G |
Fiber, ADSL |
Fiber, ADSL |
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Fiber connection speed
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Up to 2 Gbps download500Mbps upload
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300 Mbps to 2 Gbps download200Mbps to 600 Mbps upload
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Up to 2 Gbps download600Mbps upload
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Up to 300 Mbps download300Mbps upload
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ADSL connection speed
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20 Mbps download1 Mbps upload
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High speed
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High speed
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High speed
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4G Box connection speed
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260 Mbps download50 Mbps upload
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4G broadband
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-
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-
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Commitment
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12 months
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12 months
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12 months
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Without commitment
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ISPs usually present high speeds to entice. It is important to know that if your activities on the Internet are limited to exchanging emails and consulting websites, the speed is not important. It is to be considered more seriously if you process (donwload and upload) very large files. The download time depends on the connection speed. You should also consider high connection speeds if you plan to share the connection with a large number of devices (computers, smartphones, etc.). A very high speed connection is necessary to stream in 4K on the various SVOD platforms.
Fiber is the latest technology in terms of Internet connection. It brings the best debits in terms of connection speed. The connection is also more stable. On the other hand, the installation of fiber requires work that cannot be done on some homes or in some areas.ADSL is more accessible. Generally speaking, it can be installed in all homes in the UK, even those in unbundled areas. The connection speeds in sending and downloading are much lower compared to those proposed by the fiber.
A single ISP can propose one or several varied offers on the different technologies (Fiber ADSL, 4G...). The more choices, the better. This allows you to compare the different packages and subscriptionsbefore signing. Take the time to compare similar offers from different providers to find the one that is the most advantageous. Don't forget to ask about commitment periods for subscriptions.
Rates vary from one ISP to another. For a similar fiber offer, differences of several tens of euros can be observed between two different operators. The comparison of rates is therefore essential when choosing your future ISP. Check for price changes. Often, ISPs offer a preferential rate for the first twelve months. The cost of the subscription can double after the first commitment period. Watch out for hidden charges. The advertised rates do not always include other fees (activation, termination, box rental...).
Internet subscriptions are often accompanied by other services. Free calls and SMS are the most common. Other ISPs offer you access to TV channel packages, but also to SVOD services like Netflix. These additional services can be real assets. Make sure you check their details such as call destinations and free channel content.
The subscription process starts with identifying the Internet Service Provider and choosing the right offer. In this buying guide, you will find everything you need to know to choose your ISP. Once you have found the offer you are interested in, you will have to pass an eligibility test. This test aims to find out if the offer you want to subscribe to is available in your area or in the building you live in. The test can be done online. You can also call the Internet service provider. An advisor will then be able to evaluate your eligibility.
If you are eligible, you can start the subscription process. This can be done online with some operators. If online subscription is not possible, you will have to go to a store to sign the contract and provide the necessary documents. If you change your Internet service provider, do not forget to cancel your old subscription before taking out a new one. There is usually a cancellation period. Respect this deadline, otherwise your subscription may be automatically renewed.
There are costs involved in cancelling an Internet subscription. It is possible that the new Internet service provider will take care of the cancellation costs for your old operator. In this case, the new provider will take care of the termination process. Once the contract is signed, your Internet service provider will proceed with the installations. On your side, you will have to pay the fees related to the subscription of the contract, but also to the installations, to the various deposits...
ADSL is accessible via fixed telephone lines. Therefore, it can be available in almost every home in the UK, even in the so-called "unbundled" areas. The installation work is limited and the rates are advantageous. ADSL Internet has very limited speeds compared to other technologies. The downstream speed is around 20 Mbps against 1 Mbps for the upstream speed. The ADSL connection works well on ordinary tasks on the Internet. On the other hand, it will be less suitable for uploading very large files or even 4K streaming.
The highest connection speeds are recorded on optical fiber. ISPs are now advertising up to 2 Gbps of downstream speed. With fiber, your Internet connection will be as smooth as possible. It will also be more stable and less affected by the geographical area. The subscription fees for fiber are higher. It is not accessible to all homes. Some areas and buildings are not eligible for its installation. It will be necessary to contact your Internet provider to know your eligibility.
The 4G is an excellent alternative to the first two technologies mentioned below. Its advantage lies in the fact that the 4G box does not require extensive installation work. It brings however very correct connection speeds, much higher compared to those of ADSL without competing with those of the fiber. Its main drawback? 4G does not work everywhere. The network is inaccessible in some remote areas. The stability of the connection will also depend on the geographical area. The connection can therefore be slow, even very slow, in some places while it is much more fluid in others.
Commitments represent minimum terms to which you are subscribed to an Internet service provider's offer. This duration is generally 12 months for fiber, ADSL or 4G subscriptions. It is possible to automatically renew the commitment period if you do not cancel your subscription before its expiration. In principle, ISPs offer preferential rates for Internet access offers with commitment. They can therefore be advantageous in terms of price. You could not cancel the subscription before the end of the minimum commitment period under penalty of heavy penalties.
Some ISPs specialize in no-commitment subscriptions. These offers do not commit you for a fixed period. You can cancel the subscription at any time, whenever you like. These offers will suit you best in the event that you do not wish to be committed to the payment of a subscription for at least 12 months. In addition, the rates are relatively higher than those offered on commitment subscriptions. The services included in the no-commitment offers are, most of the time, quite limited.
The choice depends mainly on your needs and your means. If you need a stable Internet connection for a long period of time, a subscription with commitment may be more advantageous in terms of cost. On the other hand, if you want to free yourself from the subscription at any time, you should choose an offer without commitment.
The Internet Service Provider is a professional specialized in the deployment of Internet networks in homes or business premises. This service is strictly regulated by law and governed by the Acerp (French regulatory authority for electronic communications, post and press distribution). This guarantees, to a certain extent, the reliability of the services you subscribe to.
The 4G mobile connection is already particularly interesting. However, fiber or ADSL offers better solutions if you want to deploy the connection in a whole house or in offices with several rooms and floors. Better still, this type of subscription offered by an ISP provides higher speeds and a more stable connection.
In the vast majority of cases, an ISP offers several packages and different subscription options. It is always better to have the choice between fiber, ADSL, 4G, with or without commitment... You could evaluate the different offers, compare them and choose the one that suits you best, that meets your needs and whose costs are adapted to your means.
Subscribing to an Internet service is now much more accessible. The subscription process has been greatly simplified so that the contract can be signed quickly and the network deployed as soon as possible. Some ISPs even offer you to subscribe online, without going to a store.
Some regions are not yet eligible for optical fiber and ADSL. Nevertheless, these technologies are still being deployed progressively throughout the country. They are already much more accessible compared to the previous decade. Better yet, these technologies are expected to be available everywhere.
The diagram below will help you to get an idea of the typical prices for each price range (entry-level, mid-range and high-end).
However, more expensive does not necessarily mean better.
We therefore advise you to always consult our ranking before deciding, rather than blindly relying on price ranges.
Choose an ISP that supports reimbursement costs
If you change your Internet service provider, you should cancel your current contract and sign up for a new one. This termination may incur costs. Some operators therefore offer to take care of these termination fees as long as you choose to subscribe to one of their offers. This can save you a few dozen euros.
Be sure to ask about rates and fees
Before subscribing to an Internet service provider, take the time to find out about the rates. In some cases, hidden fees are not displayed on the advertised rates. To avoid unpleasant surprises on your bills, ask for a complete quote, including all fees. This will give you an exact idea of how much you should pay each month when subscribing to the ISP.
Estimate the number of devices connected
You should know that the theoretical speed advertised by your ISP is shared among the devices connected to the network. The more devices connected, the more the speed will decrease. So, don't forget to consider the number of devices connected to your local network before choosing an offer, the goal being that each device can enjoy a stable Internet connection without slowing down its speed.
Take an online eligibility test
For fiber and ADSL, an eligibility test must be performed before subscribing. This test aims to know in which zone you reside and to evaluate the possibility of installing the connection. You can perform this eligibility test online on the Internet service provider's website. Other sites also offer multi-operator eligibility tests.
A subscription with other services
Generally, an Internet subscription comes with other services such as phone calls and SMS, TV channel packages and a mobile connection. We talk about triple play or quadruple play offers. These additional services can have an impact on your expenses. For example, you will no longer have to pay for international calls, under certain conditions.
The eligibility test is mandatory for an ADSL or optical fiber Internet subscription. It is important to know that optical fiber is not available in some regions in the UK, especially in unbundled areas. ADSL is more accessible, but its installation remains subject to certain constraints. You should therefore perform an eligibility test before signing a contract.
If you are not eligible for optical fiber, you can subscribe to other offers such as ADSL or 4G. It is also important to know that the deployment of optical fiber is done gradually. It is therefore possible that the network will be deployed soon in your area. On the Arcep website, you will find a map with a provisional view of the current deployment projects.
Actually,very high speed internet is only accessible via optical fiber. This technology offers theoretical speeds of up to 2 Gbps for download. If you want to enjoy the best download speeds, subscribe to fiber. Note, however, that the connection speed may also vary depending on the offer proposed by your operator.
Yes, provided that your Internet service provider allows it. Additional services are, depending on the package, mandatory or optional. Ask your ISP if you want to have an Internet subscription only without additional services. This may reduce the cost of your monthly subscription.
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