In a significant move for the French telecommunications landscape, Free, a subsidiary of the Iliad Group, has announced the launch of its 5G Standalone (SA) services nationwide. This development is particularly noteworthy as it marks the first nationwide deployment of 5G SA in France. Free has activated 5G SA on 6,950 out of its 20,000 5G sites across the country, making this cutting-edge technology accessible at no additional cost to customers who own compatible devices. The new architecture of 5G SA promises to deliver higher speeds, reduced latency, and the ability to support new applications such as extended reality (XR) and network slicing. While Free claims to have achieved national-scale deployment, it is important to note that complete coverage has not yet been achieved, with some sites still requiring upgrades.
The rollout of 5G SA aims to tap into the full potential of 5G technology, bringing substantial benefits to a variety of sectors including industry, healthcare, education, entertainment, and smart cities. By making this advanced technology available at no extra cost, Free is positioning itself as a consumer-friendly leader in the French market, setting a high bar for competitors. This launch follows similar initiatives already seen in other markets, notably by EE (BT) which recently introduced 5G SA in 15 cities but only offers it through new premium packages that require users to upgrade their plans. In contrast, Free’s approach aligns more closely with strategies employed by other telecom players such as Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, who enable existing users to access new services without additional fees.
Industry Implications and Future Prospects
In a notable development for French telecommunications, Free, a subsidiary of the Iliad Group, has launched its 5G Standalone (SA) services nationwide, making it the first nationwide deployment of 5G SA in France. Free has enabled 5G SA on 6,950 of its 20,000 5G sites, allowing customers with compatible devices to access this advanced technology at no extra cost. The new 5G SA architecture offers higher speeds, reduced latency, and supports new applications like extended reality (XR) and network slicing. However, complete coverage is still pending, with some sites needing upgrades.
This 5G SA rollout aims to fully harness 5G’s potential, benefiting industries like healthcare, education, entertainment, and smart cities. By offering this technology at no additional cost, Free is positioning itself as a consumer-friendly leader in France, setting a high bar for rivals. This follows similar moves by other telecom companies; for example, EE (BT) introduced 5G SA in 15 cities, but only through premium packages requiring plan upgrades. In contrast, Free’s strategy resembles those of Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, who offer new services to existing users without extra fees.