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[SITUATION] · [QUIET] · [TECHNOLOGY]

5 clusters · 14 sources · 39 days · First seen · Last updated

French telecommunications infrastructure transition

Overview

France is undergoing a significant transition of its telecommunications infrastructure, involving the decommissioning of legacy mobile and fixed-line networks.

Telecommunications operators are phasing out 2G and 3G networks to reduce high costs and energy consumption while freeing up radio frequencies for 4G and 5G services. A 2023 study indicated that 2G and 3G stations accounted for between 21% and 33% of the electricity consumption in network stations. Regarding mobile services, the 2G network is expected to disappear across France by the end of 2026. As of October 20, 2026, Orange has officially shut down its 2G mobile network, ending a 34-year era. This allows the reallocation of 5 MHz of frequency spectrum to higher-speed technologies. Following Orange, SFR is scheduled to end its 2G service on November 15, 2026, while Bouygues Telecom and Free are expected to phase out their networks by mid-December 2026. The decommissioning of 3G networks is expected to occur between 2028 and the end of 2029.

While older networks are being retired, 5G deployment is advancing. Orange has increased its lead in 5G deployment on the 3.5 GHz band, which Arcep describes as the ‘core band’ for increasing network capacity and speeds. As of October 1, 2026, Orange reached 14,899 operational sites on this frequency.

This transition impacts critical devices such as teleassistance systems, alarms, intercoms, and heating controls. In addition to mobile transitions, the copper telephone network is being phased out. In the Ariège department, 29 communes are scheduled for copper network extinction by January 31, 2027, with total departmental disconnection targeted for the end of 2029.

Entities

SFR · Bouygues Telecom · ARCEP · Free · Orange

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 4 sources
    French mobile operators advance 5G while phasing out 2G

    French mobile operators are advancing 5G deployment on the 3.5 GHz band while simultaneously phasing out 2G and 3G networks to improve security and energy efficiency.

  2. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Orange begins phased 2G network shutdown in France

    Orange is phasing out its 2G network in France, starting with 44 departments on October 6, 2026. Users should verify that devices like alarms and phones support 4G or VoLTE.

  3. [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    France 2G network shutdown scheduled for late 2026

    France's 2G networks face shutdown in late 2026, requiring users to switch to VoLTE-compatible 4G devices to maintain voice services.

  4. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    France telecommunications transition: copper and 2G networks to be phased out

    France is phasing out legacy telecommunications networks, with copper phone lines in Ariège facing extinction by 2027 and the national 2G mobile network scheduled to disappear by the end of 2026.

  5. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Telecommunications operators phase out 2G and 3G networks

    Telecommunications operators are phasing out 2G and 3G networks to reduce energy costs, free up radio frequencies, and improve security, affecting a small minority of legacy devices and M2M equipment.

Sources

actu.fr · almouwatin.com · bienpublic.com · business-et-finances.com · france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr · gazette-ariegeoise.fr · ladepeche.fr · lapauseinfo.fr · leprogres.fr · pleinevie.fr · presseagence.fr · servicesmobiles.fr · svgopen.org · universfreebox.com

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history