Orange attacks Free: wind of jealousy among operators?

Free Mobile and Orange were auditioned on March 26 in Paris, by the Commercial Court of the capital. The case in question concerns a complaint by Orange against Free, due to allegedly misleading communication fromthe low cost operator.

Context

As ARCEP blind tests have regularly proven for years,Orange is the operator that provides the best network to the French. The company is optimizing its strategy in this direction, in order to retain as many customers as possible. This is reflected in its strategy for deploying its 5G network, and more precisely in the choice of its antennas.

Operators can deploy several types of antennas. Some are for example long ranges, and others shorter ranges. Free Mobile has chosen to mainly deploy long-range 5G antennas, unlike Orange, which optimizes the performance of its network as much as possible thanks to shorter-range antennas.

You will have understood, antennas with a longer range are advantageous because they cover a larger area, but they offer a lower flow rate than the shorter ones. Free Mobile's favorites are the 5GNR700, since the firm owns them19,041 operational, compared to only 1 for Orange:

Orange can however count on other antennas to provide exceptional connection quality, but the operator cannot thereforenot use the same marketing arguments as Free, and Orange doesn't like that.

Free cheat? Or is it Orange who is upset?

Here are the Free Mobile marketing arguments that drive Orange crazy, to the point of filing a complaint:

“largest 5G network in France”

“already more than 94% coverage in 5G”

Orange cannot, for its part, claim“that” 60% 5G coverage, and considers Free Mobile's communication to be misleading. Free did not claim to have the best network, but the largest, which seems true.

We understand that in view of theefforts made by Orangeregarding the quality of his network, he does not like it. But from the outside, however, it looks more like a whim. A priori, no one forced Orange's hand regarding the choice of its antennas.

Orange also requiresmore clarity on the speeds advanced by Free,because she finds them too vague.The judgment in this case is due to be rendered on May 15.