France’s independent telecoms regulator, the National Agency of Frequencies (Agence Nationale des Frequences, ANFR), has published its monthly update on the number of base transceivers stations (BTS) in the country, reporting that it had authorised a total of 37,412 5G sites as of 1 December, with 28,326 of these in operation. The agency said that almost all of the 5G sites have been authorised on existing cellular sites already used for 2G, 3G or 4G technologies. Free Mobile had the highest number of operational 5G sites at 1 December with 16,346, followed by Bouygues Telecom (9,184), SFR (7,881) and Orange (5,094).

ANFR said that a total of 20,714 sites are authorised in the 700MHz band, of which 16,340 are already technically operational; Orange has one authorised site in the band, while Free has 20,713 (16,144 in operation). A total of 16,335 sites had been authorised in the 2100MHz band, with 10,289 of these in operation: Orange (716), SFR (8,758) and Bouygues (13,369). Meanwhile, 22,607 sites had been authorised in the 3.5GHz band, with 15,091 of these in operation: Orange (4,948), SFR (4,825), Bouygues (4,800) and Free (4,180).

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