French operator Free Mobile, part of Iliad, has announced the launch of what it calls France's first 5G 3.5 GHz Standalone Access (SA) network on a national scale. With over 20,000 5G sites in service, including nearly 7,000 on the 3.5 GHz band, Free now covers approximately 95 percent of the French population, the operator said in a recent statement.
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Free Mobile Launches 5G SA Network
Free claims it currently operates the largest 5G mobile network in France, available in nearly 10,500 municipalities. 5G SA is a 5G network that uses fully dedicated standalone infrastructure and does not rely on any 4G infrastructure, unlike 5G NSA (Non-Standalone Access), which is built on existing 4G core network infrastructure with 5G added on top, the operator explained.
"Free is announcing that it has deployed 5G SA (Standalone Access) on the 3.5 GHz frequencies of its public network on a national scale. By doing so, it has become the first mobile operator in France to offer this technology to its subscribers," Free said in a statement.
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Enhanced Mobile Communication with 5G SA
The operator said 5G SA is the final phase of 5G network development. The new 5G SA network enhances mobile communication by providing faster speeds, lower latency, and higher reliability, independent of 4G infrastructure. Its deployment will allow the full potential of 5G technology to be realised through new services and applications in various domains.
VoNR for Superior Voice Quality
Additionally, Free has introduced VoNR (Voice over New Radio), which improves voice communication over 5G, offering faster connection times and better voice quality. Subscribers to the 5G Free Mobile Plan can access 5G SA at no extra cost, provided they have a compatible device.
"With 5G SA, Free is also the first telco in France to launch VoNR (Voice over New Radio)," the company added.
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Free Mobile
Free, a subsidiary of the Iliad Group, also operates in Italy under the Iliad brand and in Poland under the Play brand. As of the end of June 2024, Free had 22.9 million retail subscribers, including 15.3 million mobile subscribers and 7.5 million fixed-line subscribers.
