Hello. Once more I defer to the collective wisdom available through this wonderful group. (What would I do without you?!) I have a holiday home for which I only need intermittent WiFi. Does such a thing exist or do I have to contemplate a monthly subscription (like Starlink) and simply swallow the costs/lie awake at night trying not to think about what else I could be spending that money on. 
All ideas welcome. BTW my teeny tiny French house has no wiring at all and no WiFi or existing router infrastructure. Not even a cable to it. Not even sure what my neighbours (who have a gite) have one but Iâm going to ask them this week during my visit. I starting absolutely âfrom scratchâ. I want to let it out for short term holiday rentals and think WiFi is an absolute must? All thoughts welcome 
Are you renting the property now, or just thinking of doing so?
Do you have a computer there, or do you take (eg) a laptop with you? What would you use internet connectivity for when you visit?
Orange do âLigne RĂ©sidence Secondaireâ which you can pause for up to four months a year - is that of any use?
Hi, WiFi is definitely desirable but you can survive by hotspotting from your mobile if you have to. It is annoying renting somewhere that doesnât have it though, and might well put me off if there werenât other attractions to outweigh the absence of WiFi.
Hello. Thanks for your reply. Iâm the owner but not spending any time there except maybe 3 days every few months while itâs being renovated . Currently using my work phone and WiFi data allowance but Iâm leaving work in June so need to find an alternative. Itâs more for when Iâve finished the renovations and want to rent it during holiday season. Then pause it during the winter. The pausing option sounds interesting that you mentioned. . How many times can you do it each year? Presumably once per 12 months?
When we were regularly renting gĂźtes WiFi in the property was basically unheard-of and I remember trying to get online with 2G and 2.5G systems which was always a nightmare - it was not unusual to only have enough of a signal sitting outside, so looking for properties with a bit of a covered outside area in case it was raining was always a plus.
These days I probably would not mind using the phone as a hot-spot IF there is a good 4/5G signal at the property. By which I mean consistently â„10Mbps. If not I would really expect the owner to be supplying a fixed link and WiFi.
It sounds as though a mobile phone used as a hotspot or dedicated 4/5G hotspot would suffice for your own use.
Does your phone support two SIM cards, if so cheap SIM from LeClerc. I use a TP link SIM card router as the aerial sockets allow for indoor (by the window) or external aerial to give a greater signal. I use LeClerc SIM cards at about âŹ6 a month sans contract for the weeks we are there.
Very short term I use my UK Lebara SIM with 30Gb of roaming.
That is only for a simple 'phone line. If you require internet access via Orange or Sosh then you have to keep it going all year round, as per the info below.
OK, I thought it might have been possible. TBH it does not really seem logical if itâs phone but not internet (who the heck only has a phone connection these days) but who said it had anything to do with logic 
Yes, Iâd heard that Orangeâs service was often intermittent 
For a short-term rental, your best bet is a 4G or 5G Home Box from a provider like Free or Sosh, which currently offer âno-contractâ (sans engagement) plans for about âŹ25ââŹ30 per month. This provides a familiar, âalways-onâ WiFi experience for guests without the massive equipment costs of Starlink or the installation headaches of fiber.
Obviously, only if there is a decent signal - though I assume it was at least reasonable if @frances_frenchfolly was managing with using a phone as a hotspot.
I still see that option as âŹ20-25 per month more than a SIM card or SIM card router. Provided there is a reasonable signal. We only get around 35mb but itâs enough even for the odd film from Netflix etc.
Agree. Buy your own 4G router and use whatever SIM card works for you. We use Lebara which runs on SFR. 250go for 8 euros. A router can be bought for 50 euros or even less used on LBC.
Alas, an idle phoneâs signal indication isnât an entirely reliable method of judging what 4G throughput youâre likely to get as itâs derived from measurements of a pilot/beacon signal that exists solely for this purpose.
Once the phone has an active connection set up, it might find the radio conditions of the traffic channel itâs granted are less favourable due to interference, the demands of users closer to the base station and the pragmatism of the resource allocation algorithms.
Close to the base station = have this bucket of data.
Mid range user = have this pint of data.
Cell edge user = have this thimble of data and think yourself lucky.
I second (or third, or fourthâŠ) getting an eSIM data plan. You can get a prepaid âcardâ almost anywhere, most cell phones 5 years old or newer will accommodate at least one, data plans without calls and texts are relatively inexpensive, and they are simple to top off. Just be sure you chose one that allows you to use it as a mobile hotspot!