Number of 5G sites in France 2023, by operator

As of December 2023, nearly 50 thousand 5G sites had been opened in France. Free Mobile was the provider who operated the most sites, around 18.6 thousand. It was followed by Bouygues Télécom, who operated approximately 11 thousand 5G sites in France.

The unstoppable growth of mobile internet

In 2023, the mobile and internet and data segments accounted for more than 95 percent of the telecoms market revenue in France. In general, mobile internet usage is strongly facilitated by the deployment of 5G. As the successor to 4G, the technology offers users lower latency, higher reliability, and better connection performance, and is expected to contribute greatly to digital transformation. In France, the share of 5G mobile connections is forecast to grow from eight percent in 2022 to 90 percent by 2030.

5G adoption is set to surge Europe

As of September 2023, the 5G population coverage in France had already increased to nearly 89 percent, well above the EU average of 81 percent. The EU Commission’s 5G action plan has set a 2030 target for operators to bring 5G mobile networks to all populated areas, while many non-EU nations have set similar targets for the coming decade. Globally, North America is forecast to have the highest 5G adoption rate of any region in 2030, at 91 percent, followed by Greater China at 88 percent.