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2G/3G/4G mobile networks

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France Telecom-Orange rolls out high-speed and very high-speed mobile networks and extends the coverage of its current mobile networks in order to make its customers daily life easier.

mobile networks are classified by generations:

  • the second generation (2G) is made up of the first digital mobile systems, mainly GSM (the technology found in more than 80% of terminals used worldwide, with networks in practically all countries).
  • the third generation (3G/ 3G+) is made up of voice and data digital mobile systems that support high-speed data services. 3G+ provides higher data speeds.
  • 4G systems is based on a worldwide and convergent technology, the LTE (Long Term Evolution).

The Group’s GSM, GPRS/Edge (development of GSM for data) and 3G network architecture complies with the international ETSI and 3GPP standards. These networks use standardized frequency bands for GSM and UMTS: 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz.
In order to optimize investment and working costs, The Group performs site-sharing for 2G and 3G, which have several common elements.
3G+ provides significantly greater bandwidth and capacity than previous generations, comparable to the leap introduced when ADSL became available on the fixed network. The last evolution of 3G networks, the “H+”, permits to triple the actual 3G+ network speed with a throughput up to 42 Mbit/s.
The 4G opens a new mobile phone era. Thanks to a tenfold increase in speeds, faster response times and more capacity, this technology opens up a world of possibilities for mobile services as cloud gaming or high definition streaming.

what’s the coverage?

France Telecom-Orange has rolled out the GSM standard in every country where it has a mobile network, and it has introduced the Edge standard in most of these countries. Since 2004, the Group has also rolled out 3G/UMTS mobile networks in Europe and in a growing number of AMEA countries. 4G networks were rolled out or are being deployed in several countries: France, Belgium, Spain, Mauritius, Luxembourg, Moldova, Dominicana, Romania, United-Kingdom.

the Group is continuing to roll out 3G+

France Telecom-Orange is deploying 3G in all of the European countries where it is present. In most European countries where the Group is present, the entire 3G network is now 3G+. In these countries, thanks to the H+ rollout, our mobile network offers ever faster speeds. The “H+” coverage already reaches 65% of the French population at the end of 2012.
France Telecom-Orange has also committed himself to rollout 3G/3G+  networks in all the African and Middle-East countries where it operates  by 2015 and to cover 80% of the population. 15 countries of this  geography already benefit from this technology at the end of 2012.

 

the Group accelerates the 4G deployment

France Telecom-Orange is committed to deploy, by 2015, 4G / LTE networks in European countries where it operates.
In  2012, 4G services were launched in seven countries: France, Mauritius,  Luxembourg, Moldova, Dominicana, Romania, United-Kingdom. 4G technical  rollouts also began in Belgium and Spain in 2012.
In France, following the launch of its 4G network in Marseille in  June 2012, and in Lyon, Nantes and Lille in November 2012, with  commercial offers for professional customers and companies, Orange opens  its 4G network to the mass market from 4 April 2013 and extends it to  ten new cities and surrounding areas (Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Chartres,  Orléans, Dunkerque, Nancy, Metz, Clermont Ferrand, Grenoble and Annecy).  In addition, following the launch of 4G in the Paris Opéra area on 28  January 2013, Orange is now extending its network from 4 April to the  city's 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th districts. From June 2013, Orange will  launch 4G in 21 additional “agglomerations”, including Montpellier,  Rennes, Pau, Poitiers and Mulhouse. Toulouse will follow by the summer.

  • in Mauritius, 4G covers Port Louis and Bagatelle since June 2012.
  • in Luxembourg, Orange has launched 4G services covering the capital city in November 2012.
  • in Moldova, commercial 4G services are available in Chişinău, in November 2012.
  • in Dominicana, 4G services were launched in Santo Domingo, covering several areas of the city, in the end of 2012
  • in Romania, 4G is available in Bucharest since December 2012.
  • in the United-Kingdom, Everything Everywhere offers 4G services  since October 2012. Most of major cities are already covered. 98% of the  population is due to be covered by the end of 2014.

find out more

  1. 4G/LTE Orange countries
  2. press release « Orange opens its 4G network to the mass market, extending coverage to 15 agglomerations, including 50 towns”
last update: 18 April 2013