ARCEP issues licences to the winning candidates

Paris, 9 December 2015

Through Decision No. 2015-1454 of 24 November 2015, ARCEP accepted the bids that were made by Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile, Orange France and SFR during the frequency allocation procedure for the 700 MHz band.

Tomorrow, ARCEP issued each of these candidates a licence to use frequencies in this band. This step marks the completion of the allocation procedure. These licences list the terms and conditions for using the frequencies which had been established as part of the procedure, and notably rollout obligations which are summarised in the annex.

In total, the winning candidates will pay the State a combined set fee of €2,798,976,324, to be settled in four instalments between 2015 and 2018. They will also pay a variable annual fee equal to one percent of the revenue earned from the use of these frequencies.

The frequencies, which are currently being used for digital television broadcasting, will gradually become available across the country between April 2016 and July 2019.

Annex - Coverage obligations

Linked documents

ARCEP Decision No. 2015-1566 of 8 December 2015 authorising Bouygues Telecom to use frequencies in the 700 MHz band in Metropolitan France to establish and operate a public mobile radio network.

ARCEP Decision No. 2015-1567 of 8 December 2015 authorising Free Mobile to use frequencies in the 700 MHz band in Metropolitan France to establish and operate a public mobile radio network.

ARCEP Decision No. 2015-1568 of 8 December 2015 authorising Orange to use frequencies in the 700 MHz band in Metropolitan France to establish and operate a public mobile radio network.

ARCEP Decision No. 2015-1569 of 8 December 2015 authorising La Société Française du Radiotéléphone (SFR) to use frequencies in the 700 MHz band in Metropolitan France to establish and operate a public mobile radio network.

Find all the key information on a single page

List of municipalities for deployment obligations 700 MHz (xlsx)

Frequency allocations to mobile operators in Metropolitan France