Telecommunications in France

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Telephones - main lines in use: 33.91 million (year end 2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 41.68 million (year end 2003)

Telephone system: highly developed
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations: AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios: 55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: 34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code: .fr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 62 (2000)

Internet hosts: 2,396,761 (2004)

Internet users: 21.9 million (2003)

[edit] Mobile networks

France currently has 3 mobile networks, Orange, Bouygues Télécom and SFR all of which are licenced for GSM and UMTS. By comparison to other parts of Europe, this is quite few (for the number of actual operators, using there own physical network). For example, Ireland currently has 4 licenced operators with their own networks in spite of the fact that it has a smaller population than and is also more sparsely populated than France (making improving coverage less economically rewarding). However, France also has a number of MVNOs which increases competition.

[edit] See also

• France
• media in France
• List of French newspapers
• Broadband Internet access worldwide#France

[edit] External links

• Communications in France - at Discover France (English)
• Phone, Fax and Minitel Services in France (English)
• E-mail and the Internet in France (English)
• Print and Broadcast Media in France (English)