By Marco Hugo Barsotti MHB 
You are listening to a new special of am1575news, France24 and Radio Centrale Milano, in podcasting and on the medium waves.
End of Astronomical Bills
More than two years have passed since March 1, 2024, the date when the Principality of Monaco eliminated exorbitant telephone rates for visitors. Since then, Italian and French operators treat the Monegasque territory as part of the Europe zone, thus offering rates identical to those applied in Italy or France, provided that the plan includes European roaming. The result is the ability to keep the mobile phone turned on without fear of unexpected costs.
Calling from the Principality
If you are in Monte Carlo and want to contact a resident friend, it is no longer necessary to prepend the international prefix +377. Just dial the local number, but it is advisable to keep the contact with the prefix in order to call from the country of origin. When you are still in France, for example in Menton, the number must be dialed by composing +377 followed by the Monegasque number.
Costs and Operator Offers
Each operator is free to set its own prices, but most have incorporated Monaco into the “Europe” zone of their packages, almost completely eliminating additional fees. Users of operators such as Iliad and Free, for example, have 35 GB of included data with unlimited calls, SMS and MMS to France and Europe. For out‑of‑package communications, the cost is €0.0015 per megabyte, while calls to special numbers are priced at €2.19 per minute, €0.02 per SMS and €0.06 per MMS.
Emergency Numbers
In case of need, emergency services are reachable by 17 for police, 18 for fire brigade, or 112 for European emergencies. The Automobile Club de Monaco, located on Boulevard Albert 1er, can be contacted at +377 93 15 26 00 for roadside assistance.
Charging and Accessories
At the Monte Carlo train station there are four free pedal‑powered charging stations, useful for a burst of energy when the battery is dead. For those who need a USB‑C or Thunderbolt adapter, the FNAC inside the Le Métropole shopping centre, on avenue des Spélugues, offers a wide selection of accessories.
5G and 4G Coverage
The Principality’s mobile network is now fully covered in both 5G and 4G, with an updated map available at the operators’ retail locations. Users can check coverage directly from their smartphone settings to locate the strongest signal areas.
Tip for a Break
After an intense day, an aperitif at the Buddha Bar in Monte Carlo is perfect for relaxing. Before entering, it is advisable to turn off the mobile phone to fully enjoy the atmosphere.
Rachel’s Editorial – Roaming has arrived, but the rest is still too expensive
It has been more than a year since that glorious March 1, 2024, when Monaco decided to eliminate sky‑high rates. And now we ask ourselves: did I really have to wait two whole solar cycles to hear about “European roaming” in a principality where the bank account is smaller than the superyacht’s wallet? The answer isn’t that simple, because the real obstacle isn’t the signal, but our ability to believe the “all‑included” promises that operators advertise as if they were champagne at the water’s edge.
The “home‑like” rate game looks like a charlatan’s trick. Yes, your operator can decide to include Monaco in the Europe zone, but with the lightness of a yacht skimming the coast: if you end up in a gray area, the price climbs higher than Mont Blanc. And then there’s Menton, that border village where the phone prefers the French or Italian network because, apparently, it smells the perfume of cheese more attractive than that of a seaside coast. The result? A +377 that repeats like an old rhyme, and a bill that makes you regret not having bought a Swiss passport.
Operators, with their “all‑included” rhetoric, sell us the illusion of digital freedom, but then hide the little traps: megabytes at €0.0015 for extra consumption, hidden costs for international calls, and the need to keep emergency numbers at hand that feel more like clues for a treasure hunt than useful information. Pedaling to charge the phone at the station? A brilliant idea, if only we could sell the pedaled energy on the stock market. But that is the eternal Monegasque paradox: every convenience is wrapped in a veil of costly theatrics.
In the end, the real change isn’t the abolition of roaming, but our ability not to give in to the “what‑if” paranoia. Monaco has finally removed the chains, but the chains we are most bound to are psychological: fear of the bill, mistrust of “too‑good‑to‑be‑true” offers. Perhaps the next revolution should be one that teaches not to watch the price, but to stop looking at the phone while sipping a cocktail at the Buddha Bar.
Koan of the Day
Monaco: Master, why does my phone keep searching for a network beyond the border when I’m already in Monaco?
Master: Because the strongest signal has the habit of demanding more than you’re willing to give, like a hunger you don’t know you have.
Monaco: So, if I have to accept paying for every megabyte I didn’t request, what do we really learn?
Master: That true wisdom lies in understanding that the highest cost isn’t the bill, but believing that freedom is measured in cents.
This is all for now. From the Paris editorial office I am Rachel Costa: this is am1575news, France24 and Radio Centrale Milano.