ARCEP put into account the four French telecommunications operators, regulating the authority of the sector, to accelerate the deployment of the mobile network in non -covered areas, according to several decisions published on Wednesday.
SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free and Orange are directed as part of the “specific coverage” system, which makes operators weigh on the coverage of the mobile network in small areas. These obligations arise from the “New Deal Mobile”, a plan established by ARCEP in 2018 to fight white areas, without network coverage.
In its decisions, ARCEP refers to more than one hundred areas subject to the obligation to cover by relay antennas in early August. Therefore, operators still have several months to fulfill their obligations.
“Serious doubt”
But the regulator emphasizes that, according to figures in November 2024, most sites subject to deployment obligations have not been put into service and some are not subject to a construction project already initiated. He reported, for the four operators, a “serious doubt” about the possibility of fulfilling their obligations in August.
The French Telecoms Federation, which brings together three of the four operators (free is not a part), “take note of these formal notices,” Romain Bonenfant told AFP General.
Regarding the connection of fiber optic spotlights, the ARCEP has also put an orange notice with respect to the connection deadlines observed in certain “local connected to order.” The regulator considers that “Orange has failed in its commitment to the delivery time”, which should normally be less than six months.
Finally, ARCEP has sent a formal notice to the infrastructure operator of the France network (of the ILIAD group, a parent company for free) with respect to its obligation to connect all the facilities in the less dense areas. A formal notice that also addressed two infrastructure operators in meeting, meeting and SRR.
Source: BFM TV
