Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile: which operator has the best 3G/4G network in 2017?

ARCEP has published its annual survey on the quality of service of mobile operators for the year 2017.The teams of the regulatory authority for telecoms and its providers tested the networks of the four mobile operators.Thus, the teams have tested several criteria such as call and SMS success rates, download debit, success rates in web browsing and online video (streaming like VàD).

The tests were carried out in several places in urban, intermediate and rural areas but also in transport with highways, national roads, TGV lines, intercités, TER, RER and transilians as well as metros.

Mobile networks coverage

Arcep has checked the coverage of mobile operators in 3G and 4G.As of April 1, the authority has a 3G coverage of the population of 99% for Orange and SFR, 98% for Bouygues Telecom and 89% for free free (+10% in roaming).On territorial coverage, Orange opens 96% of the territory, 93% for SFR, 85% for Bouygues Telecom and 54% for free free (+29% in roaming).

In 4G, operators exceed 80% population coverage: 89% for Orange, 88% for Bouygues Telecom and SFR and 80% for Free.On the cover surface, SFR covers 59% of the territory, Bouygues Telecom 58%, Orange 55% and Free 45%.

As we can see, Bouygues Telecom and SFR are elbow in their respective deployments.The results are the consequence of the pooling of networks in less dense areas.

The quality of service of mobile networks

With the exception of Free, operators have improved all criteria on mobile Internet.Thus, the average flow rates have increased to 10 Mbps (+4 Mbps) in rural areas, 25 Mbps (+5 Mbps) in the intermediate zone and 35 Mbps (+5 Mbps) in urban areas.These flow increases are the consequence of 4G deployments in less dense areas.

All areas combined, operators exceed 90% success rate for calls and SMS.The three historic operators (Bouygues Telecom, Orange and SFR) exceed 80% success for web navigation and online videos while Free is around 55% success rate.In the flows, Orange is the fastest with 29 Mbps, followed by Bouygues Telecom and SFR with 24 Mbps and the slowest is free with 17 Mbps.

In urban areas, the success rate of calls and SMS exceeds 96% any operator combined.The success rate in web browsing and online videos exceeds 90% for 3 historicals and 75% for free.In the flows, Orange is the fastest with 46 Mbps, followed by Bouygues Telecom and SFR with 34 Mbps and the slowest is free with 27 Mbps.

In the intermediate zone, the success rate of calls and SMS exceeds 94% any operator combined.The success rate in web browsing and online videos exceeds 90% for the three historicals and 63% for free.In the flows, Orange is the fastest with 33 Mbps, followed by Bouygues Telecom and SFR with 24 Mbps and the slowest is free with 20 Mbps.

In rural areas, the success rate of calls and SMS exceeds 85% for calls and 90% for SMS any operator combined.The success rate in web browsing and online videos exceeds 70% for navigation and 65% for videos for three historicals and 30% for free.In the flows, Bouygues Telecom and SFR are the fastest with 14 Mbps, Orange with 9 Mbps and the slowest is free with 6 Mbps.

"All operators, with the exception of Free Mobile, improved the quality of their data services.Orange displays the best results on the entire survey.Bouygues Telecom and SFR are elbow.Finally, Free Mobile displays significantly less good results on a large number of indicators, ”writes Arcep.

The quality of networks in transport

Arcep has tested networks in various transport: highways, national roads, TGV lines, intercités, TER, RER and Transilians, as well as, for the first time, networks in metros.

On motorways and roads, Voice and SMS services have a success rate of 87 to 90% for calls and 84 to 89% for SMS.Web navigation reaches 78% for Orange and Bouygues Telecom, 76% for SFR and 18% for free success rate.

In TGVs, Voix and SMS services have a success rate of 75 to 84% for calls and for SMS.Web navigation reaches 72% for Orange, 61% for SFR, 59% for Bouygues Telecom and 13% for free success rate.

In intercités and TERs, Voice and SMS services have a success rate of 81 to 84% for calls and 76 to 84% for SMS.Web navigation reaches 69% for Orange, 67% for Bouygues Telecom, 66% for SFR and 18% for free success rate.

In Ile-de-France, in Transiliens and RERs, Voice and SMS services have a success rate from 87 to 91% for calls and 85 to 91% for SMS.Web navigation reaches 90% for Orange, 81% for SFR, 78% for Bouygues Telecom and 36% for free success rate free.

Metro networks...When there are

Arcep tests networks on the Rennes metro line, the 2 metro lines in Lille, Marseille, Toulouse, the 4 Lyon metro lines and 16 Paris Metro lines.The results are not good: around 50% success for calls and 50 to 70% for SMS.Web navigation is less than 25% success: 25% for Orange, 21% for Bouygues Telecom and SFR and 9% for Free.These poor results are due to the absence of network coverage in tunnels and metro stations in the cities concerned.Only the stations and lanes on the surface or close to the surface make it possible to obtain results.

The transportation agencies concerned (RATP in Paris, RTM in Marseille, Star in Rennes, transpolus in Lille, TCL in Lyon and Tisseo in Toulouse) launched or prepare the coverage of stations and tunnels by 3G or 4G networks.The first fully covered metros should be those of Tisseo in Toulouse or that of Star in Rennes.