A piece of code on the Free Mobile site mentions the existence of two distinct promotions, for as many Freebox V9s. It is likely that all this excitement is exaggerated. These two lines could refer to the same box.
It is on January 30 that Free will unveil the Freebox V9, a little over five years after the Freebox Delta.
This new high-end box is eagerly awaited by fans of the operator, even if its new features are still unknown. It is rumored that Wi-Fi 7 will be there (a first in France), as will a new oval design, as Free suggests in its latest advertisements.
What else ? Univers Freebox spotted an interesting detail on the Free Mobile website. The operator refers to two distinct promotions, one for a “freebox_v9”, the other for a “freebox_v9_lite”. What does that mean ?
A single Freebox V9, two commercial offers?
The first reaction of Internet users was to imagine the existence of two new Freeboxes. This variation would not have been surprising, since Free had launched two routers simultaneously in 2018. There had been the high-end Freebox Delta and the mid-range Freebox One, which was quickly abandoned due to lack of success.
What the code indicates is that, regardless of the Freebox chosen (v9 or v9_lite), Free subscribers could have the choice between two promotions:
- The Free Mobile plan at 9.99 euros the first year, then 15.99 euros thereafter.
- The Free Mobile plan at 15.99 euros per month immediately.
Today, Revolution and Delta subscribers have the Free Mobile package at 15.99 euros, Pop subscribers have it at 9.99 euros. No time limit.
What are the code names freebox_v9 and freebox_v9_lite? These could simply be commercial variations of the same box.
Today, Free allows its subscribers to choose between the offer Freebox Delta all options with a TV decoder (49.99 euros per month) and an offer Freebox Delta S with just Internet (39.99 euros per month). At a time when boxes are going digital, it would be surprising to be forced to subscribe to a TV decoder if you already have an Apple TV or a connected television. Free could thus distribute its offers in this way:
- The offer Freebox V9 high-end, with a V9 router and a V9 decoder. At the maximum price.
- The offer Freebox V9 Light high-end, with just a V9 router. With a discount.
Obviously, V9 and V9 Light are code names. The Freebox V7 was called Delta (or Delta S). The Freebox V8 was called Pop. Xavier Niel will reveal the name of his new product on January 30 at 10 a.m.
In short, nothing says today that Free will launch two boxes. The operator will probably not repeat the mistake of 2018, unless it decides to replace the Freebox Pop simultaneously with the launch of the Freebox V9. See you on January 30 on Numerama to follow the Free announcement.
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