A few days after Orange, which offers 5G to all its subscribers until September, SFR hits hard by announcing the automatic switch of all its packages to 5G, without time limit. The era of 4G dominance is over.
Four years after its launch, 5G is finally preparing to become the norm.
In a press release published on June 6, 2024, SFR announces “bring the benefit of 5G to all its general public subscribers with a data plan”. The changeover will take place in mid-June.
Until now reserved for the most expensive packages, 5G now becomes the default option in all SFR packages with Internet access. Millions of French people will be able to benefit from it without having to change their offer.
SFR, first operator to generalize 5G
SFR’s announcement comes four days after that of Orange, which announced that it would offer free 5G during the Paris Olympic Games. It’s difficult not to see a link between these two decisions, when all operators have until now reserved 5G for new premium offers (or paid options). SFR responds intelligently to Orange by announcing a change “permanently”when the historic operator only speaks of a promotional period.
SFR’s announcement should have an impact on other operators, who also reserve 5G for their most expensive offers. Free, which added 5G for free to its 19.99 euro package from 2020, continues to limit its other offers to 4G (the boosted 2€ package and the Free Series), while Bouygues has integrated it into all its new offers, without gifts to the old formulas. SFR’s decision could lead to the end of these exclusivities at Bouygues and Free, which could be forced to follow the operator in the red square.
Red by SFR packages not affected
Questioned by Numerama, SFR indicates that only offers sold directly by the operator are affected by the switch “ automatic and free » towards 5G. The non-commitment Red by SFR packages, without a 5G option, will remain limited to 4G. This is generally a 3 euro per month option, even if most recent offers directly include 5G.
Let’s not be fooled, SFR’s announcement is above all a communication stunt, while most of its modern packages have already been 5G for several months.
The operator has nevertheless chosen to offer 5G to its former subscribers, without forcing them to change their offer, which can only be welcomed. Our only regret concerns the Red offers, which remain in 4G despite Orange’s decision to offer 5G to its Sosh subscribers during the Olympic Games.
Officially, free 5G at Orange must end on September 8, 2024. Will SFR’s announcement encourage the operator to perpetuate 5G by default? It is possible, even if Orange has the advantage of not having to follow its competitors (thanks to its number 1 position). At Bouygues and Free, announcements could be imminent. Orange has until the end of the Olympic Games to make a decision.
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