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TotalEnergies opens service station for electric vehicles in Paris
It is the first of its kind in the capital and has ultra-fast charging
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Conductors on French public transport will soon be able to check your address
Move is part of anti-fraud plans to prevent people from giving false information during fines, including on SNCF trains
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Dordogne village petitions against opening of nearby McDonald’s restaurant
Villagers say there are enough local restaurants, but mayor focuses on job opportunities
Phone deals ‘illegal’
Beware of cheap phone deals
Phone users may no longer get a cheap phone if they sign a long-term contract as the highest appeal court, the Cour de cassation, says this is a disguised easy-credit facility which, by law, forces firms to carry out credit checks and tell clients of hidden costs.
Customers have long benefited from cheaper phones if they sign a two-year deal and Free Mobile – which does not offer this – had complained of unfair competition in a court case against SFR that has been running since 2012.
Free says the judgment could void many contracts, letting users change operator in what it sees as a market of 17million people.
SFR would not comment, saying the case was not yet complete but added that it concerned an old forfait from 2011, which had very few users today.
However, there are far fewer subsidised phone deals offered today – down from 100% of the market in 2011 to 33% in 2016.