Is the end of white zones in France soon? Telecoms authority, Arcep provides a progress report on the New Mobile Deal. Concluded in 2018, this vast program commits mobile telephone operators – Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR – to each deploy 5,000 new 4G sites in order to improve coverage across the entire territory, and particularly in areas rural.
If certain obligations continue until 2031, Arcep measures the progress made. After a delay in switching on and under the pressure of numerous formal notices, the operators played the game. The current map of France for mobile no longer has much to do with that of the end of 2018. In five years , the number of sites equipped with 4G has more than doubled and mobile operators have deployed 4G on approximately 9,600 to 15,500 sites depending on the operator.
Arcep observes that the proportion of the territory covered in 4G by the four operators at the same time increased from 45% at the start of 2018 to 88% in the third quarter of 2023. Over the same period, the share of the territory located in the 4G white zone went from 11% to 1.9%. If we talk this time about the population covered, it increased by 6% on average between the end of 2017 and the end of 2022. As of September 30, 2023, more than 99% of the population is now covered by 4G by the four operators.
This mobile coverage is also better balanced across the territory. In 2015, only six departments, all located in Île-de-France, were covered with more than 90% of their surface area. At the end of 2022, only six departments have less than 90% coverage of their territory. These are Hautes-Alpes, Savoie, Alpes-Maritimes, Hautes-Pyrénées, Ariège and Alpes-de-Haute Provence.
Improved voice quality and throughput
Regarding voice and SMS services in 2G/3G, more than 99% of the population now benefits from at least “good coverage” quality coverage regardless of the telecom operator. The progression of mobile coverage is accompanied by an improvement in the quality of service of mobile networks. The gains in voice quality – between + 8% and + 10% – are notable whether in rural areas, intermediate areas or dense areas.
Mobile internet is also improving. In terms of connection speed, the proportion of Arcep measurements having recorded a download speed equal to or greater than 3 Mbit/s increases from 77% to 88%, between 2018 and 2023. Over this same period, the proportion of measurements above 8 Mbit/s, progresses even more strongly, moving from 64% to 82%.
Arcep also notes that the targeted coverage system put in place with the Mobile New Deal has borne fruit. Of the nearly 35,000 mobile sites opened commercially over the last five years, more than 23,500 (or 67% of sites) are located in rural areas. Although the quality of service is improving in our countryside, it remains below that observed in more densely populated areas.
The boost from 5G
The deployment of 5G also contributes to this improvement with the installation of at least 25% of new sites in municipalities in sparsely populated areas. Likewise, the coverage of road axes and rail networks helps to carry the signal throughout the territory.
Furthermore, connectivity at home is becoming more widespread. Since the end of 2019, the volume of voice communications over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi, Voice over WiFi) has tripled. Or 5.7% of calls made from mobile phones in the second quarter of 2023. Mobile operators now all offer fixed internet access offers via their mobile network. As of December 31, 2022, more than 400,000 users have subscribed to these fixed 4G offers.
The supervisory authority says it is confident for the years to come. As part of the New Mobile Deal, operators must continue to deploy sites in rural areas until the end of 2026. They are also bound by an obligation of “good” voice and SMS coverage set at 99.8%. of the population for which the deadlines range between 2028 and 2031 depending on the operators. In this case 2028 for Orange and SFR, 2029 for Free Mobile and 2031 for Bouygues Telecom.