France

Mobile networks and carriers in France use 2 GSM bands, 2 UMTS bands, 5 LTE bands, and 3 5G NR bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work in France. See the tables below for details.

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France's mobile network is highly developed and competitive. The country has four major mobile network operators: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, and Free Mobile. These operators are licensed for UMTS and GSM technologies, with Free Mobile being the newest entrant, launching in January 2012. The mobile network market in France has seen significant competition, with Free Mobile disrupting the market by offering low-cost services and leveraging a hacker culture to innovate and differentiate itself from other operators.

Historically, the development of mobile networks in France dates back to the early 20th century. The first mobile phone call was made in France in 1979, and by the 1990s, mobile phones were becoming increasingly popular. The market was initially dominated by a few large operators, but the entry of new players like Free Mobile has increased competition and driven innovation in service offerings and pricing.

As of 2022, France had a total of 76.81 million mobile phone connections, with an average of 1.1 mobile phones per person. The country ranks 25th in mobile internet download speed with an average of 96.62 Mbit/second and 119th in upload speed with an average of around 8 Mbit/second.

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Carriers

Name	# of frequency bands in use
Bouygues Télécom	11
Free	10
Orange	11
SFR	11

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Frequencies in use

GSM

Name	Interface
900 MHz (E-GSM)	GSM
1800 MHz (DCS)	GSM

UMTS

Name	Interface
B1 (2100 MHz)	UMTS
B8 (900 MHz GSM)	UMTS

LTE

Name	Interface
B1 (2100 MHz)	LTE
B3 (1800 MHz +)	LTE
B7 (2600 MHz)	LTE
B20 (800 MHz DD)	LTE
B28 (700 MHz APT)	LTE

5G NR

Name	Interface
N1 (2100 MHz)	5G NR
N28 (700 MHz)	5G NR
N78 (3500 MHz)	5G NR

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