In the world of low cost operators, Prixtel is one of the pioneers. But it is above all through its flexible packages that the operator stands out, a model that other market players have hastened to copy without really devoting themselves to it 100%. But in 2023, is Prixtel still an operator that we can easily recommend? Answer in this full review.
Who is Prixtel?
Prixtel was created in 2004, as an operator specializing in fixed telephony offers with prices which, at the time, were unbeatable, even before the massive arrival of offers low-cost well-known historical operators such as Sosh, RED by SFR or B&You. It has since naturally expanded its activity to mobile telephony, always in a logic of affordable prices.
Prixtel was also one of the first operators of this type to launch an ADSL offer in 2011 with the PricetelBox without the need for a fixed telephone line and without any termination fees, which, at the time, was frankly not the norm. However, this offer ended in 2015 before even integrating fiber.
Prixtel became a forerunner in the field of mobile plans in 2012 by launching an innovative offer that allowed customers to pay according to their actual data consumption, rather than a fixed monthly plan, an economic model that it still maintains today. today and which has met with great success. In 2017, Prixtel once again stood out by launching a mobile plan offer using several networks (Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom), in order to offer its customers the best possible coverage.
Prixtel even tried the free plan at the beginning of 2018 with an offer soberly named “Blu” which was aimed at young people aged 15-25. The idea was to top up their plan with call time, SMS and data via viewing advertising, downloading applications or responding to surveys. As the offer did not meet with the expected success, it ended in early 2020. Since 2021, Prixtel has been a brand of Altice, the parent company of SFR, as a result, the latter has become the only network available on all offers.
Prixtel is now exclusively focused on the market for flexible mobile plans and also highlights its commitment to the environment by offering so-called ” environmentally friendly and CO₂ neutral. This includes tree planting programs in France as well as agro-town farm modernization projects. Prixtel also publishes its carbon neutrality report each year in order to give more transparency to its activities.
Mobile plan offers at Prixtel
You understood it from reading the title, Prixtel stands out from other operators low-cost for a feature that makes it successful, namely the flexibility of its packages. The principle speaks for itself: the packages have a basic envelope, which can be increased on the fly when the need arises. For example, a 20 GB data plan can increase to 60 GB if the need arises, thanks to a tier system. Everything is done without the need to validate anything, once a level is crossed, the pricing adapts and everything is reset the following month regardless of the data consumption of the past month. This system is very practical if you do not know your exact monthly data consumption, and thus not end up paying too much for less consumption or being blocked by having used all your basic envelope.
Prixtel generally offers three packages and others can be added to the overall offer depending on commercial or seasonal periods. What is immediately interesting is that even if the pricing is a bit higher than with other operators low-cost on paper, the flexibility, coupled with the fact that it’s possible to switch offers on the fly, makes the experience more palatable than paying for GBs you don’t need. That said, it is always possible to find cheaper elsewhere, with the risk of being stuck with an insufficient package.
Other good news, 5G is accessible and is even offered free of charge in the largest package, which is an advantage compared to other operators such as RED or B&You who offer it as a paid option. This therefore makes the “Giant” package the cheapest on the market for 5G.
As for the customer experience, the order process was very easy. Prixtel only asks for a small amount of personal information where other operators do not hesitate to require an IBAN or a photograph of identity documents, or even facial images in certain cases. The only downside was that we noticed a delivery time of just under a week for receiving the SIM card, which seemed a bit long compared to what other operators can offer. Note that Prixtel offers the possibility of obtaining an eSIM, a service that we have not been able to test in the context of this review.
The quality of Prixtel’s 4G and 5G network
Since its acquisition by SFR via its parent company Altice and as long as NVMO Prixtel is exclusively dependent on the national antenna network of the operator in the red square. We therefore obtain the same network experience as an SFR or RED by SFR customer. We therefore lose one of the great advantages of other operators low cost, namely the choice of the operator at the time of the order. Never mind, the mobile branch of the operator SFR has a national antenna network which has improved in quality in recent years, whether in 4G or 5G. SFR now has a large national antenna network which, even if it does not reach the level of Orange, remains solid with coverage of more than 99% of the population and 95% of the territory according to figures from ARCEP.
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But what about the flow rates measured? Still according to ARCEP, the SFR network ranks second, almost on a par with that of Bouygues Télécom, whether in 4G or 5G, concerning average speeds in France. Moreover, if you live in rural areas, SFR has greatly improved over time and is now a widely recommended network in these areas.
As for the Nperf barometer, even if Orange is still ranked number one, SFR has made a big breakthrough to the point of placing second by a few decimal places near Bouygues Télécom.
In my personal experience, I was able to compare the speeds obtained from a classic Orange 4G package and a 20 GB Prixtel Oxygen package. The speeds achieved in 4G in the heart of Paris are of course to the advantage of the former, but it is clear that Prixtel is not subject to restraint by SFR:
- Orange: 62.46 Mbps (download) / 13.11 Mbps (upload)
- Pricetel: 45.34 Mb/s (download) / 9.69 Mbps (upload)
The best packages of the moment
If Prixtel has not convinced you, you can consult the best mobile plans of the moment thanks to our comparator.
RED 4G Package
40 GB
Unlimited calls
40 GB in France
10 GB in Europe
Pricetel 4G package
Oxygen 20 to 60 GB
Unlimited calls
20 GB – 60 GB in France
15 GB in Europe
B&You mobile plan
130 GB 5G
Unlimited calls
130 GB in France
25 GB in Europe
All mobile plans