Free operator: history, internet and mobile offers, contact

Faced with such a rich story, a summary was needed to Distinguish the key steps from free mobile development, here it is :

Free Mobile: the mobile operator without commitment

Free Mobile has managed to settle as one of the four main telephone operators in France. Since arriving on the telephony market, the mobile division of the Iliad group has changed the balance of power between competitors. Well anchored on the market, Free Mobile regularly provides inexpensive, and without commitment mobile packages.

Free Mobile has a special place in operators, especially due to:

• Its many offers that have changed the market, like the 4G/5G unlimited package.
• Its positioning aimed at offering more accessible mobile plans.
• Of his late arrival, and his mediocre network at the beginning, but which improves significantly.

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The content of this page was verified by an editorial expert on the date of 08/29/2023

Free Mobile, telephone operator who continues to grow

Free Mobile is an Iliad group operator. In fact, the business sense demonstrated by the telecommunications company resonates in the global strategy of its parent company. Xavier Niel, the leader of Iliad, first made the free brand known by marketing solutions to surf the internet. In 2012, Free Mobile attacks the universe of nomadic telephony, Before setting up among the most influential operators in France.

Free Mobile revolutionized the mobile telephony market in 2012 with its non -binding offers.

The key dates in the history of Free Mobile

Free Mobile, through Iliad and Free entities, already has an important experience. In the same way as Orange or Bouygues Telecom, the telephone operator distinguished himself in the field of fixed telephony and the Internet at first.

Faced with such a rich story, a summary was needed to Distinguish the key steps from free mobile development, here it is :

• 1991: Creation of the Iliad group;
• 1999: Appearance of the network and the Free brand;
• 2009: Authorization of ARCEP to be the fourth French telephone operator;
• 2012: National launch of Free Mobile;
• 2018: Export with the launch of Free Mobile in Italy.

Iliad, Xavier Niel’s company, presents free internet

Until 1999, the Iliad group was unknown to the general public. The company has mainly worked by creating services intended for the minitel. It is from this privileged bastion of the French cultural exception that Xavier Niel begins to settle in the telecommunications world. The minitel no longer has the coast, and The wind turns in favor of the Internet.

From 1999, Iliad obtained telecommunications licenses. These will allow the group to create its own network, and to market its services to the public. As such, Free appears with advantageous offers to access the Internet. The operator has the support of the Goldman Sachs bank, attracted by the ambition of the very young operator. From December 2001, Free bought operating licenses in order to develop its own navigation terminal. The Freebox is born then.

Clean of Free as an internet operator is to offer aggressive prices, below the usual prices of the market. It is also a strategy that the mobile division will reproduce in 2012. Free is often placed in outsider, preferring the idea of ​​low cost, accessible to everyone, rather than that of leaving only the wealthy homes the leisure of the Internet.

After its success in the field of the web, Free at first looks at the competition strategy on the mobile field. For a long time, Xavier Niel’s group does not reveal its cards. It will take the authorization granted by ARCEP to the operator so that the new Ambition of Free is revealed. It was ultimately in 2009 that the telecommunications company was chosen for Become the fourth French mobile operator.

Also read Internet Free Mobile Boxes

The arrival of Free Mobile, the fourth French telephone operator

There have been a before and after free mobile in telephony. Previously, only three operators were also shared the domain of mobile in France. ARCEP, the regulatory authority for electronic communications and posts, fears that operators will agree on prices. Also, the arrival of a fourth competitor could upset this very installed world.

So it is free that will be chosen, and the entry of the scene of Free Mobile, in 2012, marks the spirits. Very close, in the mind, what Apple could offer during the presentations of the iPod and iPhone of the first era, Xavier Niel announces that he wants to promote the whole unlimited prices.

In fact, the Two mobile packages announced by Free Mobile are extremely interesting, having regard to the conditions of access to telephone subscriptions of the time. A € 2 formula (or 0 € with a Free Internet box) allows you to call for two hours, and to issue SMS and MMS unlimited. The second proposal consists of a mobile package with calls, SMS, MMS and internet at will. This costs only € 19.99 per month, or € 16.99 for Freebox subscribers.

To read also the non -binding packages of operators

Free Mobile Development and International Ambitions of the telephone operator

After arriving on the French market, Free Mobile caused an unprecedented craze. The presentation of the offer of the Xavier Niel group required a response from the competition. The French, today, much cheaper their mobile packages than before. Align with free mobile prices has become an imperative for Bouygues Telecom, Orange, SFR, as well as for virtual operators.

However, everything was not pink for free mobile. For a very long time, he had to Use the Orange mobile network in 3G and 4G to provide the Internet his subscribers. Gradually, however, the mobile operator has bought antennas in order to make its own network available to its customers in these frequencies.

Now sure of his forces on French territory, the Iliad operator starts to dream internationally. In this regard, an Italian division was created in 2018. As an air of deja vu: the presentation of the mobile plans of Free, beyond the Alps, aroused the greatest interest. The prices charged are also extremely interesting, and Free Mobile, having learned from its errors, immediately has a good mobile network in France as in Italy.

Immediate success in Italy

Following the launch of a Free package on May 29, 2018, the operator immediately won the market. As when it was launched in France, Free Mobile launched a very aggressive offer at € 5.99/month With 30 GB of Data in 4G and without commitment. In a few weeks, the operator reached a million subscribers and subsequently increased its offer to € 7.99/month.

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iPhone 15: The latest Apple smartphone available with Free Mobile

FREE PANCEMENT Currently: Internet access problems on Freebox

Surf at full speed and without moderation with a 5G package and a high data envelope !

Free Mobile: Operator’s offers

The types of offers offered by the Free Mobile operator

Free Mobile is a very influential telephone operator in France. Its proposals have not changed so much since the group arrives on the telephony market. However, they are always interesting, and Mobile packages can also be combined with free internet boxes. These offers actually make it possible to access preferential rates on the packages.

Today, Free Mobile offers movable non -binding packages, as well as non -subsidized mobile phones. To be sure that its customers can access the Internet at any time, the operator also highlights good possibilities in internet boxes.

Free Mobile Mobile Packages

Free Mobile, since its appearance in 2012, has always put two mobile packages available to its customers. All are subscriptions without obligation, benefiting from discounts for which is internet subscriber to the operator. Today, a third offer has joined the operator’s range. This is the Free Series subscription that is available for a year, following which the customer is transferred to the classic free package. The three mobile free mobile packages are as follows.

Free Mobile’s non -binding packages
Calls	2 hours	unlimited	unlimited
SMS / MMS	unlimited	unlimited	unlimited
Data	50 MB	100 to 120 GB (depending on promotions)	250 GB (4G/5G unlimited for Freebox customers)
Abroad	Europe and DOM

Also read the range of free mobile packages

Free Mobile also offers the purchase or rental of mobile phones

Xavier Niel had been clear about this: Free would not offer a subsidized portable purchase. This practice, very common at SFR, Bouygues Telecom, or Orange, made it possible to acquire a laptop by paying part of its price from the outset, then a more expensive mobile package afterwards.

Failing, Free Mobile offers mobile phone rental, under the name Free Flex. This solution is not so different as a subsidized purchase. Here, the customer subscribed to the rental of a laptop for 24 months, jointly with the subscription to a mobile package. Subsequently, he must pay, under payment facilities, a monthly invoice more expensive than usual. Then a purchase option is offered. The phone returns in total at the same price as by paying it at once.

However, customers can also Buy a smartphone on free mobile shelves. To do this, just select the desired smartphone. Several payment methods exist in this respect, without this inflates the cost of the mobile package significantly. It is thus possible to pay at once, in four payments at no cost, or in 24 invoices without additional charges.

Samsung, Apple, Sony, Huawei, HTC, Nokia, and all larger smartphones manufacturers are present on free rays. Each subscriber can thus find a portable terminal adapted to its consumption, and to its desires of technology.

Advice from myLittlePackage

Unlike many of its competitors, Free Mobile does not allow the purchase of a subsidized mobile. On the other hand, Free Mobile allows smartphone rental. The terminal will have to be returned to Xavier Niel’s operator once the mobile package has been expired, if it is not bought. In the event of purchase, the phone returns at the same price as by paying at once.

Free Mobile, expert in Internet boxes thanks to its freebox

Free Mobile is certainly a telephone operator, but he benefits from the expertise of Free for the Internet. The two divisions of the Iliad group can also be reconciled, through Preferential rates on mobile plans for Freebox subscribers.

Having subscribed to an internet box at Free, Internet users benefit from discounts on free mobile plans. The telephone subscription at € 2 per month no longer costs a penny. As for that initially billed € 19.99 per month, only € 15.99 will be spent monthly to take advantage of it, or even € 9.99 with the Freebox Pop. There 4G+/5g navigation will be unlimited, While she was limited to 250 GB for the non-bodies freebox.

Here are the Internet box models concerned by these offers at Free.

Free Internet boxes
Freebox	Revolution	Pop	Delta
Unlimited calls	�� Towards the mobiles of France

What is the quality of the 5G, 4G and 3G network of Free Mobile ?

Free Mobile, upon his arrival among the peers of Bouygues Telecom, SFR, and Orange, did not have a mobile network properly speaking. Thanks to partnerships past upstream, it borrowed the mobile network for 2G, 3G and 4G frequencies in Orange. For users, this was therefore similar to a guarantee of quality, Orange with the best mobile infrastructure on these frequencies, according to Arcep.

Gradually, Xavier Niel’s company has been able to catch up. Today, he also manages To cover 90% of the French population in 4G. Most customers can freely access 3G frequency, much more democratized at Free Mobile. On a metropolitan scale, if Free Mobile cannot claim the same rendering as his competitors, it is undeniable that the operator does his best to fill his delay. Regular observations of the arcep at this level confirm this state of affairs.

Free Mobile only needs a short time to become an undeniable reference to mobile telephony. In addition, we bet that with the arrival of 5G, this market should see its redistributed cards. The opportunity for free from finally Being able to play equal game from the start with the tenors of the portable sector.

Where is the mobile network of Free ?

Observatory. Free Mobile network coverage has progressed well since the operator’s arrival in 2012. To be convinced, it is enough to take a look at the observatory made available by the arcep on his site. The regulatory authority with regard to mobile frequencies, moreover, regularly publishes a report on the increase in operators in 4G and 3G.

The advantages and assets of the operator Free Mobile

Free Mobile, so new can be in the mobile telephony landscape, has signed up for users on many points. The operator burst into demanding more affordable prices concerning mobile plans. Also there is more than one advantage to be subscribed to free mobile offers.

Members will be able to Take advantage of the following advantages by subscribing to a Free Mobile Package ::

• Mobile non -binding packages, at a particularly affordable rate;
• discounts and advantages for Freebox customers;
• Free services and options.

Free Mobile Packages

When free mobile arrives in France, Xavier Niel had shown against the too salty price of mobile plans, often with commitment, of competition. The proposal of the Iliad operator is a perfect opposite. Free Mobile, in this regard, has only proposed two formulas since its creation. Proof of their relevance, these have never been modified. A third offer simply came to expand the range.

It is Three free mobile non -binding packages, displayed at particularly affordable prices. None of them exceeds twenty euros. In addition, the fact that the customer can terminate the mobile plan at any time, at no additional cost, is another guarantee of safety.

Free Mobile has still only offered two mobile packages, recently with a third special serial package.

Preferential rates for Freebox and Free Mobile subscribers

Customers who have already subscribed to a Freebox offer, name of Free Internet boxes, benefit from Exclusive discounts and advantages on free mobile telephone packages. As such, the subscription normally available at € 2 per month becomes free. In addition, the mobile package at € 19.99 is € 4 cheaper for Freebox subscribers. Customers will only have to pay € 15.99 at a monthly pace. With the Freebox Pop, this offer drops even at € 9.99/month.

In this same register, the non-bodies freebox have 250 GB monthly in 4G+/5G. The flow of their navigation is reduced beyond. A boredom that will not notice itself with Freebox subscribers. By holding an operator’s internet box, the Free Mobile telephone package allows you to navigate unlimited in 4G+/5G, If the operator’s mobile network is accessible.

In addition, for more facilities, Free mobile subscribers can connect to WiFi to the Freewifi network. This is accessible, unless otherwise manipulated, in places where free internet boxes are located. In this way, it is always easy to access the Internet with Free Mobile.

[Title Information = “Freewifi access points” icon = “FAS FA-WIFI” color = “#00bd1b”]
As said above, it is perfectly possible to Connect to the Freewifi network, Very present in France. And for good reason: this is a channel made available to people around a freebox. Free and free mobile subscribers can however indicate in their account settings not wanting to have this wifi connection.
[/information]

Free mobile services and options

For more comfort to use its telephone package, Free Mobile leaves many services available to its customers. Subscribers can thus Take advantage of a messaging service, which can be visual, For compatible phones. The presentation of the incoming number remains available automatically, such as managing double calls, or monitoring its personal consumption.

In order to reduce concerns related to the acquisition of a new smartphone, A mobile application, Available on iOS or Android, ensures stability of the 3G or 4G network. The software, called Mobile Config, directly registered the free mobile identifiers in the phone settings concerned.

Also read all about free network failures

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Free operator: history, internet and mobile offers, contact

Last of the main operators on the telecoms market, Free has quickly filled a delay in competition. By breaking the prices and by making daring strategic choices, the subsidiary of Iliad has managed to climb among the essential players in the sector. Today, the operator appears alongside SFR, Orange and Bouygues in the French Telecom landscape.

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• The essential
• The operator Free mobile propose 2 mobile packages, has 2 € And € 19.99, commitment.
• A special free series, offered between 8.99 and € 14.99/month, is also marketed.
• As for its Freebox offers, Free offers 5 Internet subscriptions in ADSL or optical fiber.
• The number of Free Customer Service is the 1044. For free customers, technical assistance can be reached at 3244.

The story of Free

The operator’s beginnings

The Freebox HD in its first version (2006)

Subsidiary of the telecommunications group Iliad, Free has been present on the internet market has been fixed since 2002. Today it offers high speed offers in ADSL and very high speed in optical fiber on its own FTTH network.

After having invested the market by offering a low speed offer under the name of “Free Telecom”, Free embarks on high speed in 2002 with the original version of its Freebox. It is then the very first equipment triple play, that is to say capable of grouping both the Internet, the fixed telephony and the television.

In 2003, The bouquet is presented Freebox TV, Initially composed of a hundred channels. The following years are marked by a few failures or commercial semi-scale: the Freebox HD or the Personal TV service, for both technical and cyclical reasons, do not meet the expected success.

Must wait 2010 For Free to really take up colors, with the release of the Freebox Revolution, which includes Unlimited calls to mobiles. This is the most substantial update since the first freebox with a change in interface, design, new multimedia functions, or the appearance of a Blu-ray and video game player available in the catalog.

Free’s assertion on the Telecom market

Free Society of Free, free mobile, is launched in 2007 on the mobile market. However, we must wait 2012 so that its 3G offers are marketed, and 2013 so that its first 4G offers are available. At the end of 2020, the first 5G compatible free package appears.

Let’s go back to this day of January 10, 2012, which marks a real turning point in the history of the company: during a conference broadcast live on the Internet, the founder of Free Xavier Niel announces the Launch of two free mobile offers ::

1. An unlimited formula comprising 3 GB of Internet at € 19.99/month.
2. A package at 2 €/month including 1 hour of calls and 60 SMS per month.

These two formulas, then very below the prices charged by competition, will change the situation and sustainably upset the mobile offers market.

At the beginning of 2022, Free was one of the 4 main operators On the Telecom market with:

• 13.5 Million Free Mobile subscribers.
• 3.5 Millions of Freebox Fiber FTTH subscribers (for 6.9 million fixed subscribers)
• A turnover of 5.87 billions of euros, including 487 million euros made by Free mobile in 2020.

The supplier has also announced that it has the aim of reaching 4 million subscribers in 2022 and 5 million in 2023, using the progression of Deployment of his fiber throughout the metropolitan territory.

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Free leaders

Among the most influential leaders of Free, we find:

1. Xavier Niel (1967-): figurehead and majority shareholder of Free, he is the founder of the telecommunications company Iliad, Created in 1991. He is at the origin of the launch of the first Internet offers in Free, before truly making himself known to the general public in 2012 when he announced theArrival of the group on the mobile market.
2. Maxime Lombardini (1965-): He is the current Managing Director of Iliad (he succeeded Michaël Boukobza in 2007) and was also Managing Director of TF1 Production.
3. Rani Assaf (1974-): more discreet media than Xavier Niel, the 2nd shareholder of the company is no less important in the evolution of Free. Co-creator of the Freebox with Sébastien Boudruche, he is the technical director and the network manager of the company.

Iliad, a diversified group

Iliad, owner of Free and Free Mobile, is present through many companies, both in France and in Morocco. These subsidiaries are particularly specialized in:

• Internet access : this is the case of Free, but also of Alice, bought in 2008, which offered an ADSL offer.
• Telephony : through free mobile for the main thing, but also one.Such.
• Web hosting solutions : in particular with online, 2nd French host in number of houses hosted.
• The optical fiber : with IRE, Iliad Immobilière or Free Infrastructures, in charge of building the FTTH network of Free.
• Call centers : Most subsidiaries are located in Marseille, Bordeaux or Morocco.
• Various activities such as insurance brokerage (insurance), business administration (IH) or Freebox production (Freebox SAS company).

In September 2016, Iliad/Free announced his Arrival on the Italian market mobile. Free benefits from the merger between Wind and H3G, releasing a place for a 4th operator. The group thus recovers the frequencies and residual antennas from the merger between Vimpelcom and CK Hutchison.

In the first half of 2019, the Italian market thus contributed to the group’s turnover to the tune of 81 million euros. At the end of September 2021, the Italian subsidiary has 8.2 million subscribers.

Free positioning

Since 2012 and its coup on the mobile market, the strategy of Free and Xavier Niel wants to be breaking that of his competitors. Free’s strategy is based on several elements:

1. Advantageous prices : mobile plans to 2 € And € 19.99/month, far below market prices when they launch, allowedattract many subscribers and of draw all market prices downwards.
2. Internet and mobile subscriptions without engagement : the group wanted to compensate for thelack of contractual commitment by an “emotional” commitment to the values ​​and the image of the group. He then bet on the simplicity offers (very few different packages) and their transparency To retain customers.
3. Offers often available in private sell : Very low prices for 12 months in order to attract new customers, or sometimes 3 months of subscription offered.
4. A diversification of services: for example, in 2013, the operator established an alternative model to the subsidized mobile, by offering the mobile rental. Today, the Free Flex service allows you to buy a mobile rented from free at any time from.

Even if Free’s strategy was built around the lack of commitment, in June 2018, Free offered alternative internet offers with Commitment for a year. This allowed the Internet service provider to further lower the price of its subscriptions over a year. From now on, the operator has the majority of his offers that do not bind (but without promo) cohabit with certain offers to engagement 12 months and promo in the 1st year.

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Free network

On the fixed, Free has unbundled more than 15,000 NRA, covering approximately high speed 95% Population. The company continues to deploy its fiber optic network in FTTH, with more than 22 million eligible outlets in early 2022, for more 3.5 million subscribers.

On the mobile side, Free Mobile had a roaming agreement with Orange on 3G, which ended in 2020. Free announced that homelessness would be gradually restrained on the Orange network from the start of 2017. After having a significant delay on its 3G network, With barely over 7000 branches deployed in 2016 (2 to 3 times less than other operators), Free Mobile covers today 99% of the population in 3G, or a coverage similar to its competitors.

Regarding Population covered in 4G, The operator covers approximately 99% of the population covered as its direct competitors. The operator has greatly caught up in terms of mobile network coverage in recent years.

THE 5G deployment On the other hand is well advanced at Free, since the supplier holds the greatest number of 5G compatible antennas in service on the territory: more than 12,000, already covering more than 79% of the metropolitan population.

Free Internet offers

Free markets internet access offers in ADSL (in the unbundled and not unbundled area) as well as in optical fiber on its own FTTH network. Free offers its customers Internet offers double play and offers triple play. Find their content in detail below.

Free Play offers from Free

Free offers 1 double play offer (or dual play), that is to say giving access to a telephone service and the Internet. It is possible, for Freebox Crystal subscribers only, to take out a Optional TV service for 4.99 euros per month In addition to the basic offer.

Free Triple Play offers

Free also offers Triple play offers including TV service in addition to fixed telephony and internet. Find the description of triple play offers and services included in each freebox in the following table:

The options included in your Freebox offer

In addition to the services included in your Freebox package, triple play offers give you access to more or less options, included in the subscription price. All Play Play offers thus include a Replay service, VOD and are compatible with HDR 4K. Discover the additional options below according to the type of freebox you want to subscribe.

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