How to get a French (virtual) phone number from abroad?

Preamble: I don’t like the phone!

It’s quite paradoxical, I’m a hyper-connected person: depending on the interlocutor and the context, I can be reached by email, Skype, Facebook, Slack, Twitter, WhatsApp, Hangout or Appear.in. But I don’t like the phone.

I find the phone hyper intrusive and it makes me jump every time it rings. When the phone rings, you MUST instantly stop everything you are doing and rush to answer it, I hate it. If on top of that it’s an unknown number, chances are it’s advertising or some kind of bullshit.

If the call is scheduled in advance, no worries.

I recently read an article that reassured me, I am not alone in this case and it is characteristic of the “new generation”.

Our trip around the world was a great excuse to cut off the phone. If you called me, you would get a direct message (without the ability to leave a message) with an announcement like “I’m currently abroad, you can reach me by email or WhatsApp. Thank you for your time. ».

My phone number was only used to receive the validation codes from my bank by SMS and I was fine with that.

If I needed to call in France, I had credit on Skype (and other services) which allows me to call for a very affordable cost.
However, nobody could reach me by phone 🙂

Why is it still important to have a phone number?

The problem with the solution described above is that it is asynchronous, being unreachable by phone has its limits.

In spite of all the technologies that we now have at our disposal, it remains (unfortunately) essential to have a number.

Already, most people aren’t used to using Skype or equivalent. We lose 10 minutes the time they manage to connect, then they don’t necessarily have the necessary equipment so the sound is rotten, there is echo, … it’s unbearable.

Then, with all administrative matters (bank, taxes, …) the phone number is mandatory.

Finally, in a professional context, it is still more serious to be able to give a phone number rather than answering “contact me on Skype”. In terms of reassurance, it’s a good thing to be able to present a landline phone number that looks serious. I recently responded to a call for tenders from a public administration, I couldn’t see myself putting my Skype nickname in the phone number field ^^.

Anecdote: after setting up a telephone appointment with a client, I told him that he could reach me on a number in 01 xx xx xx xx if he preferred, whereas we used to communicate via Skype. He answered me “I deduce from your number that you’re back in France…”.

Ah ah ah ah !

How do I get a virtual phone number?

Using a French SIM card is excluded
:- Calls from abroad are out of price
–

Subscriptions with international option also –
While I’m at it, I would like to have a landline phone number (it’s like we have offices, it looks serious)

The solution is to have a SIP (Session Initial Protocol) number, this is the most common protocol for VoIP (telephony over the Internet).

A SIP number is a kind of virtual phone number that goes through the internet, not even needing a physical phone.

What solutions?

I have found relatively few companies offering solutions for individuals or individual entrepreneurs.

I still found 3 of them:

Google via its Google Voice Mail service. Excluded because they do not (yet) offer French phone numbers.
Skype which offers French phone numbers for 5 euros / month. I can’t personalize the message on his answeringmachine.
OVH : cock-a-doodle-doo, it’s this French actor, European leader in web hosting that I chose.

What does OVH offer in terms of telephony?

I specify that I have no action at OVH ^^

What OVH offers is quite unique, by subscribing you are entitled to :

– A French phone number –
Unlimited calls included to landlines in France and in 40 countries –
Very correct rates for the rest (ex: 8 cents per minute to a French mobile, calls received are always free)

.

All this for the modest sum of …. 0,99 € HT per month, without any commitment of duration. Unbelievable!

How does it work in practice?

You order your line on OVH, you have the choice between several phone numbers, you pay and 10 minutes later your line is activated.

You must then install on your devices (computer, smartphone, tablet, …) a software that manages the SIP protocol.

For my part, I installed my line only on my Mac with a small software called “Telephone”. (Edit December 2017: I now use the Zoiper software available on Mac and Android and SessionTalk on iOS)

Once installed it’s ok, you can make and receive calls as if you were in France.

As a bonus

With the OVH offer, you can personalize your answering machine. If someone leaves you a message, you receive the audio file by e-mail.

You can also configure your number in “Conference” mode, which allows you to organize conf calls with a maximum of 50 people, very practical in a professional setting.

Conclusion

I have only had my number for a few days, but I am already pleased with it. As long as you have a good Internet connection and adequate audio equipment, the sound is excellent and you will be able to make your interlocutor believe that you are in an office at La Défense while you call him from the poolside in Asia ^^.

In practice, I will communicate my number to the dropper only when necessary (I still don’t like the phone). I will activate it when I have a scheduled phone appointment. The rest of the time, it will be on answering machine and my interlocutors will be able to leave a message. I will then be able to contact them (or not) by whatever means I deem most appropriate.

P/s: for the configuration of your OVH line, contact the OVH customer service or write on the OVH support forum, it’s made for that.
We don’t work at OVH thanks!

If you are looking for a solution to receive SMS abroad, that’s another story, I invite you to read my other article here : How to receive free SMS abroad