France - Mobile Market Insights, Statistics and Forecasts

Synopsis

The French mobile phone market is one of the largest in Europe, worth some €18.5 billion in 2008. Three network operators offer the full range of telephony and data services, while a growing number of MVNOs provide competition in the low-cost sector. France Telecom’s Orange and the Vodafone-Vivendi-owned SFR dominate the market, while the third player Bouygues Telecom has won an increasing share of new subscribers since 2005, and has recently signed a number of prominent MVNO deals. All three network operators offer 3G services, which have become popular following the introduction of unlimited data offerings Their investment in HSPA upgrades has also spurred the development of the mobile broadband sector. A fourth 3G licensee, Free Mobile, launched commercial services in 2012. This report provides key statistics on the French mobile market in 2011, including spectrum licensing and regulatory issues, as well as a profile of major players and their strategies in an increasingly fierce competitive market. It also provides ARPU forecasts to 2015.

Key developments:

Auction for 2.6GHz frequency licences completed; national 4G availability envisaged for early 2012; Vodafone finalises sale to Vivendi of 44% interest in SFR; Bouygues Telecom joins the Telefónica Partners Program; Omea (Virgin Mobile) becomes the first full MVNO in France; MVNO market shows 35% growth in subscribers in Q4 2011; Virgin Mobile launches quad-play service; MNP process reduced to three days; Bouygues Telecom launches B&You mobile service including VoIP via WiFi; MTRs set to 2013 but EC challenges two-price policy; Bouygues Telecom buy’s KPN’s MVNO Simyo; Orange launches low-cost brand; regulator market data for 2011; operator data to December 2011; market developments into early 2012.

Companies covered in this report include:

Orange, SFR, Free Mobile, Bouygues Telecom.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Overview of France’s mobile market
  • 2.1 Mobile statistics
  • 2.2 Operator market shares
• 3. Regulatory issues
  • 3.1 Spectrum regulations and spectrum auctions
    • 3.1.1 GSM
    • 3.1.2 3G Licensing – round one
    • 3.1.3 3G Licensing – round two
    • 3.1.4 3G Licensing – round three
    • 3.1.5 900 and 1800MHz frequencies
    • 3.1.6 Public Analogue Mobile Radio (PAMR)
    • 3.1.7 800MHz
    • 3.1.8 2.6GHz
    • 3.1.9 Network sharing
  • 3.2 Mobile termination rates (MTR)
  • 3.3 SMS interconnection
  • 3.4 Roaming
  • 3.5 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
  • 3.6 Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC)
• 4. Mobile technologies
  • 4.1 Digital
  • 4.2 Third Generation (3G) mobile
• 5. Major mobile operators
  • 5.1 Orange
    • 5.1.1 JV with Deutsche Telekom (DT)
  • 5.2 SFR
    • 5.2.1 Network contracts
  • 5.3 Free Mobile
  • 5.4 Bouygues Telecom
    • 5.4.1 Network contracts
  • 5.5 MVNOs
• 6. Mobile voice services
  • 6.1 Prepaid
• 7. Forecasts
  • 7.1 Forecasts – mobile ARPU – 2009-2015
  • 7.2 Notes on scenario forecasts
• 8. Related reports

• Table 1 – Mobile sector investment – 2007 - 2013
• Table 2 – Total mobile revenue by prepaid and contract sectors – 2006 - 2011
• Table 3 – Average monthly bill, ARPU - 2006 - 2011
• Table 4 – Mobile network operators, subscribers and annual change – 2011
• Table 5 – Mobile subscribers (national) and penetration rate – 1999 - 2013
• Table 6 – Mobile services revenue (voice) and traffic in minutes – 1998 - 2013
• Table 7 – Mobile service revenue by type; annual change – 2010 - 2011
• Table 8 – Data as proportion of mobile service revenue – 2004 - 2012
• Table 9 – Mobile voice traffic in minutes – 2006 - 2011
• Table 10 – Mobile operator market share – 2005 - 2010
• Table 11 – Mobile termination charges – 2005 - 2013
• Table 12 – Mobile interconnection revenue – 2003 - 2011
• Table 13 – European roaming charges – 2007 - 2011
• Table 14 – Mobile roaming in revenue and traffic in minutes – 2003 - 2011
• Table 15 – Annual mobile numbers ported – 2004 – 2011
• Table 16 – Active 3G subscribers and annual change – 2007 - 2012
• Table 17 – Orange mobile subscribers (France) – 2005 - 2011
• Table 18 – Orange voice and data ARPU (Q4) – 2005 – 2011
• Table 19 – Orange blended, contract, prepaid ARPU (Q4) – 2005 - 2011
• Table 20 – Orange mobile consumer revenue – 2005 - 2011
• Table 21 – Orange mobile customer churn – 2003 - 2011
• Table 22 – Orange mobile customer acquisition costs – 2007 - 2011
• Table 23 – SFR mobile annualised ARPU – 2005 - 2011
• Table 24 – SFR mobile revenue – 2004 - 2011
• Table 25 – SFR subscribers – 2006 - 2011
• Table 26 – Bouygues Telecom subscribers – 2005 - 2011
• Table 27 – Bouygues Telecom financial data – 2005 - 2011
• Table 28 – MNO and MVNO subscribers (metropolitan) – 2005 - 2012
• Table 29 – MVNO market share (metropolitan) – 2005 - 2013
• Table 30 – Prepaid and contract subscribers (national) – 2005 – 2011
• Table 31 – Percentage of prepaid versus contract subscribers – 1999 - 2011
• Table 32 – Forecast mobile ARPU – 2005 - 2015

• Chart 1 – Total mobile revenue by prepaid and contract sectors – 2006 – 2011
• Chart 2 – Average monthly bill and ARPU - 2006 – 2011
• Chart 3 – Mobile subscribers (national) and penetration rate – 2004 – 2013
• Chart 4 – Mobile services revenue (voice) and traffic in minutes – 2003 – 2013
• Chart 5 – Mobile voice traffic in minutes – 2006 – 2011
• Chart 6 – Mobile operator market share – 2005 – 2010
• Chart 7 – Mobile termination charges – 2005 - 2013
• Chart 8 – Mobile roaming in revenue and traffic in minutes – 2003 - 2011
• Chart 9 - Active 3G subscribers and annual change – 2007 – 2012
• Chart 10 – Orange mobile subscribers (France) – 2005 – 2011
• Chart 11 – Orange voice and data ARPU (Q4) – 2005 – 2011
• Chart 12 – Orange blended, contract, prepaid ARPU – 2005 – 2011
• Chart 13 – Orange mobile customer acquisition costs – 2007 - 2011
• Chart 14 – SFR revenue – 2005 - 2011
• Chart 15 – SFR subscribers – 2006 - 2011
• Chart 16 – Bouygues Telecom financial data – 2005 – 2011
• Chart 17 – MNO, MVNO subscribers (metropolitan) – 2005 - 2012
• Chart 18 – Prepaid and contract subscribers (national) – 2005 – 2011

• Exhibit 1 – 3G licensees
• Exhibit 2 – Operating MVNOs launch dates and network provider – 2001 - 2012