Data roaming? French Connection solves what carriers couldn’t

Data roaming is a problem. Specially if you are a geek. I believe the number one worry for most people that travel abroad on business is if the hotel has WiFi and if it does, will it work? There is indeed such thing as data addiction.

We’re being push towards it with every new mobile app. This not only affects geeks, it’s a wide spread decease that’s only getting worst. Remember when your mother didn’t have a mobile phone? Now look at her, with the newest iPhone, pinning stuff on Pinterest, publishing stuff on her multiple Facebook groups, blogging about her latest trip.

Now, even when you do have WiFi abroad, there are still situations where there is either no WiFi around or it just doesn’t work. Typical scenario, a big tech conference. Trying to get Internet during peak keynotes in a conference with over 300 people is like trying to get an investor to deliver a presentation with a half decent slide deck. It’s just not going to happen, it’s futile.

There are currently several solutions, non of them specially good. First, you can just activate your data roaming. This is an option only for the rich or for the retarded. Granted there are some telecom operators with some great roaming plans, but those are scarce and it seems you need to be a Swiss to have them.

A second option is to buy a local sim card with a phone or a 3G hotspot. This actually works but it’s a pain in the ass. You need to locate a shop and go through a lot of red tape to get a prepaid card, specially if you’re a foreigner. While this is a workaround, it’s still a hassle. And if there is something you don’t have when you go abroad on business, is time to loose.

Meet French Connection, a French start-up that has managed to solve the issue that no damn carrier has been able. Or more like, doesn’t wants to solve. Their proposition is dead simple, data roaming should be easy and cheap.

What they do is rent you 3G hotspots during your time abroad at affordable prices. No red tape, no hassle, no waste of time. You’ll pay per day and you’ll have 100Mb of data a day. Something that is more than enough for most mortals. This was my data consumption during my LeWeb trip in Paris this past December (courtesy of French Connection and their CEO, Olivier Rousseau):

As you see, the usage correlates neatly with the end of the conference day. I was essentially using it on my way back from the conference and during my morning commuting. I did use 3G while at the conference during peak moments on the main stage, specially the first day. Overall, I didn’t even reached the 50MB limit, but it’s also true that I switched the hotspot off every time I had any other available connection. Compare it with the usage of a top US start-up figure that was also using the device and you’ll see how data hungry some users are:

The real cool thing is the delivery method. French Connection will mail you the hotspot anywhere in France. You just tell them the address, when are you arriving and they’ll make sure that when you get there you have your Internet connection waiting for you. They’ll even mail it to the airport’s post office so that you can pick it up on your way to the city.

Once you receive the hotspot, you’ll also receive a charger, the WiFi password and an envelop. This envelop will let you return the hotspot when you’re done with it. Just throw the hotspot in, seal it and drop it in any mailpost you see. Definitely easier than finding a telco shop, that’s for sure.

Such an easy solution for a really annoying problem. By using old school tech, that is, the postal system, they’ve solved the data roaming problem in a very elegant way. Right now they only operate in France, but I’m expecting to see them expand beyond that very soon.

Remember, looking for data? Don’t look anymore, French Connection will fix you up, at least in France.

Disclaimer: I wanted to thank Olivier for his generosity at, not only sending me the device to where I was staying, but letting me try it for free during the LeWeb conference. Thank you!

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