5G packages: Where is the deployment in France?
This article was produced in partnership with Mezabo.
If the 5G could be permanently installed by 2030 in France, it is currently going through a major deployment phase. Under the supervision of ARCEP, the operators are at work to achieve the objectives set. But what about 5G plans and the overall state of that network?
What 5G plans are available in France?
Today, it is possible to easily subscribe to a 5G plan in France. Indeed, it is enough to have a compatible terminal and to reside in a coverage area to take advantage of this network.
In this segment, there are many that can fit any budget. Generally, the formulas are composed of a monthly volume of data and the combination Calls / SMS in unlimited.
On the market, the best known formulas are those of Free, Bouygues, SFR and Orange. These are also the main operators to which the 5G bands have been allocated in France.
Nevertheless, other companies offer various packages thanks to the MVNO in 5 G which was imposed by ARCEP. It is therefore possible to subscribe to 5G formulas at YouPrice, Syma, Prixtel, Reglo, NRJ Mobile or even Cdiscount.
What is the status of 5G deployment in France?
According to the latest reports from ARCEP, the rollout of 5G is following a moderate pace. The data dating from March 31, 2022 place Free above, for example, with 14,404 sites commercially open in mainland France. Bouygues Telecom is ranked second with 7,132 sites. In addition, SFR and Orange complete the list with 5721 and 3491 5G sites respectively.
The data also indicates interesting margins of progress compared to the figures of the December 31, 2021. However, no territorial map is available to date to indicate the municipalities and towns covered with accuracy.
Nevertheless, the major operators each have a map on their websites. Thus, we can notice that the big cities have a coverage rate close to 100%.
5G bands available in France
There is globally 3 strip blocks in France. The highest and most widespread is the 3500MHz due to its exclusive allocation to 5G technology. What’s more, its coverage rate is almost fair among all carriers. It theoretically offers better throughput, but with a limited range.
Groups 1800 and 2100 MHz are also deployed in France and are currently shared between Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR. Previously tied to 4G, these bands can offer a good compromise between range and coverage.
Groups 700 and 800 MHz are also operated, but only by the operator Free. In reality, they offer relatively low throughput against better coverage, but they are also shared between 4G and 5G.
Why opt for 5G?
In theory, 5G can offer up to 10 times higher throughput (1Gbit/s maximum) than 4G. The connection speed therefore remains the greatest advantage of this network which will facilitate the use of many technologies.
In addition, 5G offers better latency between sending data and receiving (5 to 1ms). In practice, this could speed up transaction processing. More interestingly, the deployment of 5G will allow operators to offer better network coverage to subscribers.
