Visitors who lose connectivity should use a working Wi-Fi connection to contact their accommodation, retrieve bookings and prepare their next journey.
At our 16:51 CEST check on October 21, a complete nationwide recovery had not been confirmed in the available updates. Orange had acknowledged the incident and said its technical teams were working to identify the cause and restore service.
What happened to the Orange network?
The disruption began late Wednesday morning. Orange confirmed an incident affecting its mobile network nationally, with significant disruption for part of its customer base. The company’s statement to Reuters about the network incident did not identify the technical cause.
Sosh customers also reported problems because the brand uses Orange’s network. Reports included phones showing no service, calls and messages failing, and mobile internet becoming unavailable.
The extent of the disruption varies between users. Reports of some connections returning do not establish that service has recovered everywhere. Fixed broadband appeared largely unaffected in early reporting, so a working hotel or café Wi-Fi connection may still provide internet access.
Can the outage affect a travel SIM or eSIM?
Your connection depends on the local network your plan uses. If a roaming SIM or travel eSIM connects through Orange in France, it may also experience disruption. The effect on an individual plan needs to be checked with its provider.
Buying another SIM or eSIM is not automatically a solution: the replacement could use the same underlying network. Before paying for an alternative, confirm its supported French networks and whether it can provide service at your location.
Wi-Fi, local SIMs and roaming each have different limitations. Compare the main ways to get internet in France if you need another connection option for the rest of your trip.
What to do if you lose mobile service
Focus first on the information you need for your next stop:
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Connect to working Wi-Fi. Use your hotel, accommodation or an available airport connection to access messages and bookings.
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Contact anyone expecting you. Send your hotel or pickup driver your arrival details while you have internet access.
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Prepare for going offline. Save your accommodation address, download a map and make tickets available offline where the ticket provider supports it.
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Use messaging apps over Wi-Fi. WhatsApp, Signal and similar services can work through an internet connection even when your mobile data is unavailable.
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Ask about a working hotspot. Someone with a functioning connection on another network may be able to share it temporarily.
If you are arriving at Charles de Gaulle, use the terminal connection to organise your onward journey before leaving. Our Paris CDG connectivity guide covers airport Wi-Fi and arrival options.
Keep your eSIM installed. Deleting it will not repair an operator’s network outage and can create an additional activation problem. Apple specifically advises against erasing an eSIM as a troubleshooting step unless your carrier directs you to do so.
When will Orange service return?
The updates available at our check did not include a confirmed restoration time. Orange’s mobile network information service is the official route for checking local network conditions; your own provider can help with questions about your particular line.
Once service appears to return, test mobile data and the services you need before relying on the connection for your next journey.
If you experience a connection problem with your Roafly package, please contact us for help.