Mobile Data and Free Mobile Services: how it works in France — first-hand
Short answer
Free Mobile's unlimited plans often suffer from severe throttling and connectivity issues when roaming abroad. To maintain consistent speeds, it is recommended to switch to a plan with a defined, limited data allowance instead of the unlimited subscription.
From real experience
Users of Free Mobile experiencing extremely low internet speeds and non-French IP addresses (e.g., Moscow servers) while in Russia may be facing network throttling or blocking by the operator or local network providers.
This is often related to data usage patterns or regional restrictions. The issue might be temporary or indicate a permanent change in service for roaming users. Consider switching to a different mobile plan if consistent connectivity is required.
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Users of Free Mobile's unlimited plan may experience reduced internet speeds after the first month, especially if they consume a significant amount of data while roaming.
The operator may have terms and conditions that allow them to throttle speeds under such circumstances. If this is a concern, consider switching to a plan with a data cap, such as the 35GB option, which might be less susceptible to such limitations.
✓ 1 report from chats
French telecom provider Free Mobile may severely throttle internet speed on their unlimited data plans (such as Free Max).
Customer support rarely resolves this throttling issue. The practical workaround is to purchase a new SIM card under a limited data plan (e.g., 35 GB) rather than trying to upgrade/downgrade the existing throttled subscription.
✓ 1 report from chats
Users of the Free Max mobile plan have reported intermittent internet connectivity issues when roaming outside of France.
This is suspected to be due to the carrier's policy, as unlimited plans may have limitations on extensive data usage abroad. For frequent travelers in Europe, a plan with a defined roaming data allowance might be more reliable.