The operator Bouygues Telecom announced Monday, November 30, 2020 the launch of its 5G mobile network in twenty “big cities” French, including Lyon, Nice, Montpellier, Reims, Dijon and even Nancy, while other municipalities are asking for a moratorium on this technology.
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While 5G promises to ultimately offer up to ten times faster speed, operators are counting above all on its launch to manage the increase in traffic and avoid saturation of their mobile networks.
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Bouygues Telecom aims for national 5G coverage “by the end of 2021” in all large and medium-sized French towns, promising high speeds “up to 3 to 4 times faster” than 4G through the use of the 2.1 GHz and 3.5 GHz frequency bands.
Like its rivals SFR and Orange, the operator has communicated its 5G tariff offers for the general public and businesses, with in particular an offer “without engagement” to make the service accessible “to the greatest number”.
Only Free has yet to unveil its coverage plan and 5G offers, citing a launch in “the next weeks”. After having paid more than 2.8 billion euros to the State to seize “blocs” auctioned in early October, operators can enjoy their 5G frequencies since November 18. However, they remain subject to administrative procedures related to technical authorizations to be filed with the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) and to requests for information from town halls.
However, several green or left-wing mayors of large cities, notably in Lille or Grenoble, have declared that they are in favor of a moratorium until the publication scheduled for spring 2021 of a report from the National Health Security Agency (Anses ).
“We are attentive to what the municipalities ask the operators. Before really deploying, there are debates that are taking place in certain municipalities. We are respectful of that”, told AFP Benoît Torloting, deputy general manager of Bouygues Telecom.
A “Paris for example, technically we are ready to cover the whole city but we have suspended our action pending the debate led by the mayor. These cities, like Paris, are covered, but they are not open”, he explains.
“The mayor of Paris estimates today that it will take 3 or 4 months to complete this debate. In other cities, it will perhaps go faster. As soon as a municipality gives us this fire green, in just a few days we will be able to open the city in 5G “, he added.
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