The number of LTE mobile sites operating in metropolitan France reached 45,416 as of September 1, up from 351 in August (541 in July), according to spectrum firm ANFR.The total number of legal sites that are not yet in service amounts to 50,974.emerging to 53,750 by adding 2,776 sites in DOM-TOM. Compared to July, Orange was the only operator to drive activations in August, taking LTE to 454 new sites and achieving an overall footprint of 23,223 in metropolitan France.
With 288 site activations, Free’s deployment speed decreased from month to month (395 in July), while narrowing the gap between its closest rivals with 17,348 sites in total.Now, in its position so far, SFR has reached a footprint of 20,182 LTE sites, up to 219, while Bouygues Telecom added 221 in August for a total of 19,308 as of September 1.
Of the five legal bands for LTE use, 700 MHz frequencies recorded the highest number of site activations, basically due to Free Mobile’s ongoing activity in this band.in metropolitan France and the DOM (44,893 and 44,445 respectively), followed by the 2.6 GHz (34,848) band.
The spectrum signature that approved approvals granted to 5G pilots remained unchanged at 500 in August for the 3.5 GHz band.