A little over a year after the launch of the new generation of mobile technologies, it is becoming less and less rare to come across a 5G site in France. According to the latest count made by the authorities, metropolitan France thus had 30,963 5G sites authorized on the 1er last December, for 20,954 sites declared technically usable by mobile operators.
If the results are not yet really there with regard to the quality of service of the 5G offers marketed by the operators, the deployment of the new generation networks continues to show a good shape on the accounting plan … either in large metropolises or in smaller towns. At least, this is the conclusion that Ariase has just drawn from the latest edition of its ranking of the cities with the best 5G coverage.
As of September 30, the company notes that “after the start of the year when deployment was concentrated on large metropolises, 5G is now extending to more less dense municipalities”. In fact, in the third quarter of 2021, mainland France has around 100 new towns with more than 5,000 inhabitants with at least one 5G site. Unsurprisingly, Paris retains its city square with the best 5G coverage, with 765 5G sites as of September 30 (or 289 more than a quarter earlier). The City of Light is ahead of Marseille (337 5G sites), while Toulouse completes the podium thanks to its 223 5G sites.
Very useful proximity to large cities
The Pink City delights the 3e place of the podium in Lyon, which had 176 operational 5G sites as of September 30, but where only 15 new sites had been opened during the quarter. Next come Nice (171 5G sites), Bordeaux (129), Montpellier (114), Nantes (102), Lille (89), Strasbourg (82) and Rennes (70).
In cities of 50,000 to 200,000 inhabitants, the prize for the metropolitan area with the best 5G coverage goes to Clermont-Ferrand (90), followed by Saint-Etienne and its 89 5G sites. Aix-en-Provence completes the top three with 81 5G sites. Regarding municipalities with 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, this time Aubagne clearly dominates the ranking, with its 33 5G sites recorded on September 30. The city is ahead of Vitrolles (29) and Cagnes-sur-Mer (24).
Finally, in the ranking of 5G cities with more than 5,000 inhabitants, Sanary-sur-mer dethroned Carquefou. For the Ariase teams, this is “a situation that illustrates the rise of 5G in cities adjoining large agglomerations. Let us quote for example Cesson-Sévigné, glued to Rennes, Balma near Toulouse, Cestas near Bordeaux or even Septèmes-les-Vallons towards Marseille “.