First of all just a little about ourselves:  As registered Independent Telecommunication Consultants, we continually monitor the industry to bring new ways to improve the range of quality services that we can offer our customers at the lowest prices possible.  Our aim is to get you the customer the best deal we can, not only with regard to price, but also the quality of calls with a Customer Service second to none. You do not pay for our services. At present, for domestic and business clients, we are delighted to be able to recommend Primus Telecom and its very high quality of service. We can also offer you other services depending on your specific needs.  My colleague Irina or I will be only too pleased to help you with any queries you might have regarding landlines, mobiles, or Internet access.  We have a wealth of experience in these different areas, as we have been advising the expatriate community for over 10 years.  We have over 10,000 expatriate customers here in France.  Apart from saving you money, our other principal consideration in recommending a company is the quality of service that they are able to provide.  Unfortunately, we find this is sadly lacking in many companies today.  Primus is an exception with a very high level of customer service and satisfaction. 

Primus is the 6th largest carrier company in the world providing the major Telecom companies, such as France Telecom, British Telecom etc., with quality links worldwide and is a member of the prestigious 'Fortune 1000.’  It has over 3 million residential and business customers. Primus itself does not advertise, but solely relies on recommendations from their existing customers.  Here in France the quality and speed are identical to France Telecom, but with massive savings.  The French Telecoms market is at present complicated and very confusing, especially with the introduction of ADSL Broadband and calls ‘via the Internet.’   These calls, known as VoIP, (Voice Over Internet Protocol) are not at all the same quality as a normal telephone.  The quality varies depending on a number of technical issues, least of all that your Internet service works 100% of the time, which is often not the case in rural areas.   

Connection:

Will I still be connected to France Telecom?  Yes, your line will be connected to France Telecom in your local exchange, but you will no longer be a customer of France Telecom, but exclusively of Primus.

I have got Internet ADSL with another provider, does this affect my connexion?   Not at all; your Internet connection is separate from your vocal telephone line.  If you require advice on this subject, please don’t hesitate to call us. 

I dial a special free 0860 number for my dial up connexion to the Internet, can I still do this and will it still be free?   Yes this will continue as before.

If I join ‘Primus Line’, do I keep my phone number?   Yes, if you are at present a customer of France Telecom.  In the case where you have been given a different number by your current telephone operator, Primus will issue you with a new number.  

I am moving house; can Primus Telecom install a new line for me?   Yes, Primus can install a new line. You will need to let us know if your new house has had a France Telecom line before or not.

I am on ‘Primus Line’ at presentand I am moving house.  Can I keep the same number and does ‘Primus Line’ transfer to my new residence?  You will be able to keep the same number if you are moving within the same area.  If you are moving to a different area your number will have to be changed. In both cases Primus will require a new application form from you.   The process will be the same as if you were a new customer.

I am transferring my line to my new property, what will I pay?    You will not be charged by Primus in the case of a transfer of line.

I am shortly moving to France and my new house does not have a telephone.  Can I join ‘Primus Line’ if I am not yet in France?  Yes, but it all depends on whether a France Telecom line has been installed in the house previously or not.  It might be necessary for someone to be available to let Telecom technicians into the house.  Please contact us for further information.

How much will it cost to install a new line with Primus Line?    Installation fees for a new analogical line are 52 EUR TTC.  This will be charged on your first Primus invoice.

If work needs to be done on my line, who will pay and who do I pay to? You are liable to pay Primus Telecom all costs incurred above the standard line installation fee of 52 EUR TTC.  This would happen, for instance, when there is physically no line to the property and this work has to be carried out by Telecom engineers.  You would receive an estimate (devis) before the work would be done.

How long will it take for you to connect me to Primus?  If you have an existing France Telecom line then the average time is 15 days.  We are totally dependant on France Telecom and have to go through a number of procedures with them.  If you have no line at all, then this can vary depending on whether any engineering installation work has to be done, prior to your connection.  Please note that if you have been with either France Telecom or another operator for less than 6 months, they will most likely charge you till your end of contract, therefore please check before joining us. 

Is there a minimum length of contract with Primus?  Yes the minimum contract is 6 months, which is exactly the same as France Telecom.

Faults:

What happens if I have a fault on my line? In the first instance you will contact us on freephone 0805 46 44 44 or 05 53 05 47 82, if in the exceptional situation you cannot make contact with us, then please call Primus in Paris on freephone 0800 333 999.  If we cannot talk to you directly at the time, please leave a message and we will get back to you with the utmost urgency.  Some of you might think that France Telecom will not give you the same support if you leave France Telecom; this idea is totally false.  As most fault work is now outsourced by France Telecom to private companies, they service all other operators, like us, with exactly the same priority as its own customers. 

Cancellation:

What happens if I decide to cancel my contract under the 6 months? Like France Telecom, you will be required to pay the outstanding monthly amount up to the end of the contract. 

How do I cancel my contract with Primus?   Firstly, you must call Irina or Andy to explain your situation.  Secondly, Primus is no different to all Telecom companies in France; you must send us a ‘lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception’ to the address below.  We will then take the necessary action with France Telecom; this process will take a minimum of two weeks from the day we receive your registered letter.

Miscellaneous:

Can I ring 08 free and premium French numbers?  Yes, nothing will change in this respect and these calls will appear on your Primus bill, as you no longer will receive a France Telecom bill.

I am already a customer of France Telecom and have a number of different options like answerphone etc, can I continue these?   Yes, please see the attached ‘features paper’.  We include a number of free features and charge a small amount per month for other features, as does France Telecom.

Can I use another prefix to call via another operator if I am on ‘Primus Line?’    No, you will not be able to do this.   All your calls will automatically go through Primus Telecom.

If Primus Telecom changes their tariff, how much notice will I get?   Primus will have to give you one month’s notice in the case of a change of tariff. 

I pay France Telecom by direct debit. Do I need to cancel this with them? Theoretically you are no longer a customer of FT so will not receive a bill.  However, it would be prudent to cancel your direct debit (prélévement) at you bank following your last bill.  We can supply you with a suitable letter, on request.