Xavier Niel announced on his Twitter account the availability of the 4G on 3 December 2013. It failed to obtain further bands in the 800 MHz frequency band. Both offers are without commitment and without subsidized phones.įree Mobile obtained a 4G license on 22 September 2011 for 271 million euros for a duplex 20 MHz band in the 2600 MHz frequency band. Number of 3G, 4G and 5G antennas in service (Source ANFR ):ĪRCEP confirmed that Free covers enough of the country to open commercially and start using its roaming agreement with Orange.įor the few first years Free will pay Orange to get a full national coverage, for the roaming license agreement as it arrived late to the mobile market.įree Mobile launched its two offers on 10 January 2012. Free Mobile operates roughly 21,600 3G antennas, 21,300 4G antennas and 13,500 5G antennas as of January 2022. Īn estimated 18,000 antennas, depending on the frequencies, are required to cover the whole French metropolitan area. ARCEP confirmed that Free Mobile covered 78% of the population in January 2015. Xavier Niel announced its network was covering 50% in January 2013. A 3G roaming agreement with Orange enables communications channeled through Orange's network, which covers about 98% of the French metropolitan population according to ARCEP.įree Mobile was covering 37.3% of the French population in July 2012. ġ00% of the 2G traffic will go through Orange's network as Free Mobile has no 2G license.įree Mobile has for legal obligation to cover 27% of the French population by January 2012, 75% by January 2015 and 90% by January 2018.įree Mobile was already covering 30% of the French population in November 2011. The roaming agreement was again extended by 3 years, until 31 December 2025, on 27 July 2022. It was extended for 2 more years, up to 31 December 2022, on 28 October 2020.

It was initially set to run until 31 December 2020. The license price is 240 million euros for two 5 MHz duplex bands in the 900 MHz and 2100 MHz frequency bands.įree Mobile signed a 2G and 3G roaming agreement with Orange on 3 March 2011. The first 3G licenses were awarded to France Telecom (now Orange) in 2000, SFR in 2000 and Bouygues Telecom in 2002.įree Mobile application has been agreed by French regulatory authority ARCEP on 17 December 2009.

History 3G license (900 MHz and 2100 MHz) It also obtained a 4G license in 2011.įree Mobile provides wireless services to 14.792 million subscribers as of September 2023. It was the fourth mobile network operator to obtain a metropolitan French 3G license in 2009. that provides wireless Internet to consumers in France. is a French telecommunications company, subsidiary of Free S.A.S.

Forfait free 1 euro 100 go