5 ms·

It's important to keep in mind that most people never know what other systems are like and so don't know what they're missing when they're missing it. I similar

It's important to keep in mind that most people never know what other systems are like and so don't know what they're missing when they're missing it. I similarly reflect positively on the stunning relative clarity of freemobile in France selling 50GB high speed plans with free international data roaming for like 20 Euros per month. And now it's 100GB for the same. In the US for that price Verizon won't even spit on you.

rayiner 8y ago
Amusingly, freemobile sells a "4G+ illimitée" (unlimited 4G) plan that's limited to 100GB/month: http://mobile.free.fr http://mobile.free.fr.
- chipperyman573 8y ago
  True, but the website is very clear that the unlimited refers to voice and text and only 100gb is included. It's still shifty but way better than what the article is about.
- lostlogin 8y ago
  Having just used it, it’s good but not great if travelling about. This mostly my fault and not theirs as I didn’t realise I needed a mobile number that can sent/receive sms. Many services require an sms for account setup and it’s a PITA not being able to receive them. Bike sharing and taxis were the two I wanted it for. The other weird thing was that one of the cards I bought worked in the U.K. and one didn’t. I never did figure that out but the prices are so cheap it wasn’t particularly problematic. Their (physical) store is also extremely easy to use for a jet lagged foreigner.
  - bsder 8y ago
    You need to go deep into the bowels of "Settings" and muck with some very obscure stuff called "Access Point Names".
- BugsJustFindMe 8y ago
  The difference between Free's website and Verizon's is huge. On Free's website the details are front and center, bold, prominent. 100GB is right there. The plan details also give you a lot more for a lot less money, but that's a whole other can of bits.
- rdl 8y ago
  The Free plan is amazing. 25GB roaming outside of France, too.
  - rmc 8y ago
    EU law requires no roaming rates, so there places outside France (and in the EU) which would be covered by the 100GB a month rule.
    - apexalpha 8y ago
      Only for 60 days a year, I think. So this might cover the other days?
    - cbzoiav 8y ago
      If you are paying less than €3/GB (before VAT) they can apply a fair use roaming limit which is lower than your domestic limit Which is calculated from the EU cap of €6/GB - so 25GB is well above what they have to give you for that price.
      - Strom 8y ago
        More information here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-tel...
    - moviuro 8y ago
      Free was actually offering free roaming before it made it into EU law. Not much of an edge now, sure, but credit given where credit's due.
- seszett 8y ago
  No, actually they say "4G+ illimitée abonnés Freebox" and as they explain in the "en savoir plus" link, the limit applies to people who do not sign up to the Freebox plan (for home Internet).
cat199 8y ago
unfortunately anytime you mention something like this as a reasonable expectation for sane adults within the context of a us-focused discussion, one is almost immediately inundated with any one of: - business must make a profit - why are you being a socialist - think of joe sixpack - the USA is 'different' arguments as to why this is not the case, and debate tends to die. although I guess I'm saying 'the usa is different' in a different way.. so there's that
- mhneu 8y ago
  This is a good time to say that Steve Bannon used Breitbart to intentionally radicalize young white tech men, in order to get votes for his billionaire donor, Robert Mercer. [1] The approach is the same as much of right wing media in the US: amplify anti-immigrant and anti-minority views to get workers to vote for tax cuts for the wealthy. The US is in this political situation because the US let the wealthy build a large rightwing disinformation machine (Fox, right wing radio, PragerU, Breitbart, etc) over last 40 years. If you’re NOT in the US and you want to avoid this happening to your country, you have to stop this kind of disinformation. Bannon’s over in Italy trying to do the same business+xenophobia thing there. Watch out, Italians. [1] source: Josh Greene’s biography of Bannon, Devils Bargain. Bannon worked with Green on the book.
- tripzilch 8y ago
  It's capitalism vs humanism. I'm not really sure why people prefer the former when the latter is an option. (I'm guessing it's knee-jerk from when it's not) I say humanism because protecting (vulnerable) people from scams in advertising has nothing to do with socialism, and everything to do with people just being excellent to each other and helping one another. Forces of capitalism have no compassion. It's quite a mechanical system, you can't expect that to produce a system with a consistent and sufficient amount of decency, without it tearing off a limb every once in a while.

rayiner 8y ago

Amusingly, freemobile sells a "4G+ illimitée" (unlimited 4G) plan that's limited to 100GB/month: http://mobile.free.fr http://mobile.free.fr.

chipperyman573 8y ago
True, but the website is very clear that the unlimited refers to voice and text and only 100gb is included. It's still shifty but way better than what the article is about.
lostlogin 8y ago
Having just used it, it’s good but not great if travelling about. This mostly my fault and not theirs as I didn’t realise I needed a mobile number that can sent/receive sms. Many services require an sms for account setup and it’s a PITA not being able to receive them. Bike sharing and taxis were the two I wanted it for. The other weird thing was that one of the cards I bought worked in the U.K. and one didn’t. I never did figure that out but the prices are so cheap it wasn’t particularly problematic. Their (physical) store is also extremely easy to use for a jet lagged foreigner.
- bsder 8y ago
  You need to go deep into the bowels of "Settings" and muck with some very obscure stuff called "Access Point Names".
BugsJustFindMe 8y ago
The difference between Free's website and Verizon's is huge. On Free's website the details are front and center, bold, prominent. 100GB is right there. The plan details also give you a lot more for a lot less money, but that's a whole other can of bits.
rdl 8y ago
The Free plan is amazing. 25GB roaming outside of France, too.
- rmc 8y ago
  EU law requires no roaming rates, so there places outside France (and in the EU) which would be covered by the 100GB a month rule.
  - apexalpha 8y ago
    Only for 60 days a year, I think. So this might cover the other days?
  - cbzoiav 8y ago
    If you are paying less than €3/GB (before VAT) they can apply a fair use roaming limit which is lower than your domestic limit Which is calculated from the EU cap of €6/GB - so 25GB is well above what they have to give you for that price.
    - Strom 8y ago
      More information here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-tel...
  - moviuro 8y ago
    Free was actually offering free roaming before it made it into EU law. Not much of an edge now, sure, but credit given where credit's due.
seszett 8y ago
No, actually they say "4G+ illimitée abonnés Freebox" and as they explain in the "en savoir plus" link, the limit applies to people who do not sign up to the Freebox plan (for home Internet).

cat199 8y ago

unfortunately anytime you mention something like this as a reasonable expectation for sane adults within the context of a us-focused discussion, one is almost immediately inundated with any one of: - business must make a profit - why are you being a socialist - think of joe sixpack - the USA is 'different' arguments as to why this is not the case, and debate tends to die. although I guess I'm saying 'the usa is different' in a different way.. so there's that

mhneu 8y ago
This is a good time to say that Steve Bannon used Breitbart to intentionally radicalize young white tech men, in order to get votes for his billionaire donor, Robert Mercer. [1] The approach is the same as much of right wing media in the US: amplify anti-immigrant and anti-minority views to get workers to vote for tax cuts for the wealthy. The US is in this political situation because the US let the wealthy build a large rightwing disinformation machine (Fox, right wing radio, PragerU, Breitbart, etc) over last 40 years. If you’re NOT in the US and you want to avoid this happening to your country, you have to stop this kind of disinformation. Bannon’s over in Italy trying to do the same business+xenophobia thing there. Watch out, Italians. [1] source: Josh Greene’s biography of Bannon, Devils Bargain. Bannon worked with Green on the book.
tripzilch 8y ago
It's capitalism vs humanism. I'm not really sure why people prefer the former when the latter is an option. (I'm guessing it's knee-jerk from when it's not) I say humanism because protecting (vulnerable) people from scams in advertising has nothing to do with socialism, and everything to do with people just being excellent to each other and helping one another. Forces of capitalism have no compassion. It's quite a mechanical system, you can't expect that to produce a system with a consistent and sufficient amount of decency, without it tearing off a limb every once in a while.