Telecom in France (2026)

Top 5 Best Telecom Providers in France for Expats

Based on coverage, value for money, ease of online sign-up for newcomers, English support, and overall expat satisfaction, here are the top 5 mobile providers in France in 2026. Price bands are after-promo monthly prices for new subscribers as of October 2026: Sosh €1.99-20.99, Free Mobile €2-29.99, RED by SFR €9.99-11.99 (verified tiers), Orange €8.99-33.99 and Bouygues Telecom €16.99-29.99(B&You from €1.99). The table under the cards names three plans per provider.

Best for newcomers

1. Sosh

4.5

Sosh is Orange's online-only brand. It runs on the full Orange network but sells forfaits sans engagement with no shop overhead. As of October 2026 plans run from €1.99 (1 GB Bloqué) to €20.99 (300 GB 5G). 5G starts at the €15.99 Voyage 200 GB plan, which includes 40 GB in 135 destinations. You sign up online with a passport and an IBAN, and an eSIM activates within minutes.

Why we recommend it: Orange's online brand puts the network ARCEP ranked first in 2025 behind no-commitment plans from €1.99 to €20.99, with flat prices and 5G from €15.99.

Pros

• +Runs on the Orange network, ARCEP's first in 2025
• +Flat prices, no promo cliff: Voyage 200 GB 5G at €15.99
• +No commitment and no exit fee
• +Online sign-up with passport and IBAN, eSIM in minutes

Cons

• −Chat and online support only: no phone line, no boutiques
• −5G only from the €15.99 tier; cheaper plans are 4G
• −€10 SIM fee, French-language service

• Plans €1.99-20.99/month on the Orange network (October 2026)
• 1 GB Bloqué €1.99 · 20 GB €9.99 (4G) · Voyage 200 GB 5G €15.99
• eSIM activation for day one (postpaid, no prepaid option)

Visit Sosh

Best for value

2. Free Mobile

4.3

Free Mobile, part of the Iliad group, runs its own network, including 700 MHz; the legacy Orange roaming has ended. As of October 2026 the Forfait 2€ costs €2 (€0 with a Freebox), Free 5G 350 GB costs €19.99 flat (€9.99 with Freebox Pop, €15.99 with other Freeboxes) and Free Max unlimited 5G+ costs €29.99. The 2 € and 350 GB prices are locked until 2027. Switchers get up to €10 of their old operator's cancellation fees reimbursed.

Why we recommend it: The cheapest big-data plan from a network operator: Free 5G 350 GB at €19.99 flat (€9.99 with Freebox Pop), plus the €2 plan, both price-locked until 2027.

Pros

• +Free 5G 350 GB at €19.99 flat, €9.99 with Freebox Pop
• +€2 plan, €0 for Freebox subscribers
• +Reimburses up to €10 of your old operator's exit fees
• +Refunds unused prepaid credit automatically when you port out

Cons

• −Weakest rural call quality: 84% perfect calls (ARCEP 2025, 4th)
• −Série Free 110 GB jumps from €12.99 to €19.99 at month 13
• −French-only service, €10 SIM fee

• Own network including 700 MHz; legacy Orange roaming has ended
• Forfait 2€ €2 · Série Free 110 GB 5G €12.99 for 12 months, then €19.99 · Free Max €29.99 (€19.99 with Freebox)

Visit Free Mobile

Best for SFR 5G coverage

3. RED by SFR

4.2

RED by SFR is SFR's online low-cost brand on the SFR network. As of October 2026 it sells 60 GB at €9.99 and 100 GB 5G at €11.99 (30 GB usable in the EU); larger tiers were repriced in October, so check the live price. That month SFR, RED and Prixtel raised existing subscribers' prices by €0.99 to €4.99 a month (about 8% at RED), so the old fixed-price promise no longer holds. Lebara now undercuts it on the same network: 200 GB 5G for €9.99.

Why we recommend it: No-commitment plans on the SFR network, first on nPerf's 5G coverage score, from €9.99 for 60 GB, though existing subscribers saw an October 2026 price rise.

Pros

• +SFR network: first on nPerf's 5G coverage score (72.78)
• +No commitment and no exit fee
• +You can refuse a price rise in your espace client
• +Online sign-up with passport and IBAN

Cons

• −October 2026 hike: +€0.99 to €4.99/month for existing subscribers
• −Lebara 200 GB 5G at €9.99 undercuts it on the same network
• −Online support only, no international calls included, €10 SIM fee

• 60 GB €9.99 · 100 GB 5G €11.99 on the SFR network (October 2026)
• Tiers above 100 GB repriced in October 2026: check red-by-sfr.fr

Visit RED by SFR

Best for coverage

4. Orange

4.4

Orange is France's largest operator and the former state monopoly. ARCEP's 2025 quality campaign, published on 24 September 2026, ranks it first: 91% of calls perfect nationally, 83% in rural zones and 74% on high-speed rail. As of October 2026 its 130 GB 5G plan costs €20.99, under-26s get 200 GB 5G for €15.99, and Mobicarte prepaid (4G only, no bank account) starts at €9.99 for 150 GB.

Why we recommend it: Ranked first in ARCEP's 2025 tests with 91% perfect calls, 83% in rural zones and 74% on TGV lines, plus boutiques and an English-speaking helpline.

Pros

• +First in ARCEP 2025: 91% perfect calls, 74% on TGV
• +Under-26 plan: 200 GB 5G at €15.99
• +Mobicarte prepaid from €9.99 for 150 GB, no bank account
• +Boutiques nationwide and an English-speaking helpline

Cons

• −Highest prices: 130 GB 5G at €20.99 vs Sosh 200 GB at €15.99 on the same network
• −Promo cliffs: Voyage 250 GB 5G+ goes from €24.99 to €33.99 after 12 months
• −Under-26 price rises to €34.99 after your 26th birthday; Mobicarte is 4G only

• Plans €8.99-33.99/month after promo (October 2026)
• Forfait 2h €2.99 for 6 months, then €8.99 · 130 GB 5G €20.99 · Voyage 250 GB 5G+ €24.99, then €33.99
• Mobile, fibre (Livebox), and TV on one network, with in-person boutiques

Visit Orange

Best for balance

5. Bouygues Telecom

4.1

Bouygues Telecom runs its own network, ranked first overall in nPerf's 2025 barometer (95,684 nPoints, published January 2026). As of October 2026 its plans run from Série Spéciale 20 GB at €16.99 (€11.99 with a Bbox) to 250 GB 5G at €29.99, and its online B&You range runs from €1.99 to €19.99. Since 27 July 2026 every no-commitment plan in the group carries a €5 exit fee, at B&You, NRJ Mobile, Cdiscount Mobile and Auchan Telecom too. Cancelling by phone costs €7.50 in processing fees; online it is free. Classic prepaid ended on 30 June 2025.

Why we recommend it: First overall in nPerf's 2025 barometer, with Bbox discounts and B&You plans from €1.99, but a €5 exit fee on every no-commitment plan since 27 July 2026.

Pros

• +First overall in nPerf's 2025 barometer
• +Série Spéciale 130 GB 5G at €19.99, €14.99 with a Bbox
• +Stores sell the tourist My European SIM (20 GB, €14.90 online promo)
• +Boutiques for in-person support

Cons

• −€5 exit fee on every no-commitment plan since 27 July 2026
• −€7.50 to cancel by phone; free online in the espace client
• −Classic prepaid ended 30 June 2025; B&You adds a €5 setup fee

• Série Spéciale 20 GB €16.99 · 130 GB 5G €19.99 · 250 GB 5G €29.99 (October 2026)
• B&You range €1.99-19.99/month; mobile, fibre (Bbox) and TV bundles

Visit Bouygues Telecom

Ranking as of October 2026. The ranking weighs coverage, after-promo price, online sign-up and support, not price alone.

How Is the French Telecom Market Structured?

France's telecom market is built on four network operators that own the mobile infrastructure, plus a layer of MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) that resell access on those networks at lower prices. The market is overseen by ARCEP, the French regulator.

Network Operators (MNOs)

The four operators own their own mobile and fixed-line infrastructure. Each runs a cheaper online sub-brand on the same network.

MVNOs (Virtual Operators)

MVNOs do not own network infrastructure but lease capacity from the four operators. They typically offer lower prices and no long-term contracts, and hold about 5.1% of the metropolitan market:

• La Poste Mobile: 100% owned by Bouygues Telecom since 15 November 2024. New lines run on the Bouygues network since 29 September 2025; legacy SFR lines are migrating in waves until end-2027. Help in 6,000+ post offices; 130 GB 5G €10.99 to 350 GB 5G €19.99.
• Prixtel: now owned by the SFR group, on the SFR network. Adjustable billing: you pay the tier you used, from Le Petit 10 GB at €6.99 to Le Géant 300 GB 5G at €14.99. Prixtel subscribers were part of the October 2026 SFR-group price rises.
• Lebara (SFR network) and Lycamobile (Bouygues network): 30-day prepaid paid by card, no French bank account, English support. Lebara 200 GB 5G €9.99 with a free SIM, but no MMS on any plan; Lycamobile 250 GB 5G €8.99 and 350 GB 5G €11.99.
• NRJ Mobile: a brand of Euro Information Telecom, 100% owned by Bouygues Telecom, on the Bouygues network. 130 GB €8.99 and 100 GB 5G €9.99, with the group's €5 exit fee.

Should You Get a French SIM or a Travel eSIM?

If you live in France, a French SIM or forfait wins on a local French number, cheaper large-data plans, and easier setup for banking, Doctolib, and contracts. If you are only visiting for days or weeks, a travel eSIM activates instantly with no French ID and no shop visit.

The fastest route on arrival is a no-commitment mobile plan (forfait mobile sans engagement) from a low-cost brand (Sosh, RED by SFR, B&You, Free Mobile). You subscribe online with a passport and an IBAN, then ship a SIM or activate an eSIM within minutes. See our SIM cards and eSIM guides to choose.

How Does Network Coverage Compare Across France?

All four operators provide excellent 4G coverage in cities (Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux). The differences emerge in rural areas and in 5G and fibre rollout. Orange leads on rural coverage; Free has a wide 5G site count.

ARCEP's 2025 quality campaign (250,000+ measurements, published on 24 September 2026) ranks Orange first: 91% of calls perfect nationally, 83% in rural zones and 74% on high-speed rail. SFR is third at 87% and Free fourth at 84%, with the weakest rural call quality. Bouygues Telecomsits between Orange and SFR, and leads nPerf's 2025 barometer overall (95,684 nPoints, published January 2026). For countryside, mountain or rail use, pick Orange or an Orange-network brand such as Sosh.

What Do Telecom Services Cost in France?

French telecom is among the cheapest in Western Europe. Here is what you can expect to pay in 2026. Low-cost online brands undercut the headline operator plans for the same network. For a full budget, see our cost of living guide.

Compare on the after-promo price, not the headline. Série Free 110 GB costs €12.99 for 12 months, then €19.99: €395.76over 24 months, the same monthly price in year two as Free's 350 GB plan. Per gigabyte, Lycamobile 350 GB at €11.99 works out at €0.034/GB, against €0.161/GB for Orange 130 GB at €20.99 (our calculation, October 2026).

All prices per month including 20% VAT (TVA). Mobile ranges are after-promo prices for new subscribers from provider pages, as of October 2026 (big data: Lycamobile, Lebara, NRJ and La Poste Mobile at the low end; Orange, SFR, Free Max and Bouygues at the top). Box prices are often discounted for the first 12 months, then rise to the standard rate; box ranges as of June 2026.

What Changed for French Mobile Plans in 2026?

The Bouygues group has charged a €5 exit fee on every no-commitment plan since 27 July 2026, at Bouygues Telecom, B&You, NRJ Mobile, Cdiscount Mobile and Auchan Telecom. No other major group charges you to leave a forfait sans engagement. Cancelling a Bouygues line by phone (1064) adds €7.50 in processing fees; cancelling online in your espace client is free.

Free Mobile answered by reimbursing up to €10 of a rival's cancellation fees for switchers, and it refunds unused prepaid credit automatically when you port out. In October 2026, SFR, RED by SFR and Prixtel raised existing subscribers' prices by €0.99 to €4.99 a month, some with 20 GB of extra data and some with nothing. You can refuse the change in your espace client and keep the old price. Otherwise, article L224-33 of the Code de la consommation lets you cancel free within 4 months of a contract change, which the operator must notify at least one month ahead. The code is on Légifrance, and service-public.fr explains how to cancel a phone contract.

Three structural changes matter too. La Poste Mobile puts new lines on the Bouygues network since 29 September 2025 and migrates legacy SFR lines until end-2027. Bouygues Telecom ended classic prepaid on 30 June 2025; only the tourist My European SIM remains. The takeover of SFR by Orange, Bouygues and Free, signed in June 2026, has no client impact before the second half of 2027.

On our tally below, leaving B&You online for Free Mobile costs €10net: Free's reimbursement covers the €5 exit fee, which leaves Free's €10 SIM fee. Porting the number with a RIO is free.

How Is Telecom Regulated in France?

The French market is regulated by ARCEP, the telecom authority, with consumer disputes handled by the Médiateur des communications électroniques and unfair practices by the DGCCRF. Key protections include:

• Number portability (RIO): keep your number when you switch. Call 3179 (free, 24/7) for your RIO and give it to the new operator. Under ARCEP's rules the transfer takes up to 3 working days (2 days of checks, 1 day of porting), service is cut for 4 hours at most, and the port closes the old line, so you never cancel it yourself. Portability is free.
• Contract changes: an operator must notify a change such as a price rise at least one month ahead, and article L224-33 of the Code de la consommation lets you cancel free within 4 months of the change.
• SIM registration: you need an identity document to activate any SIM, prepaid included (loi n° 2016-731 and décret n° 2017-460 of 30 March 2017). A passport of any nationality, an EU ID card or a French titre de séjour is accepted.
• EU roaming: under EU rules you can use your French forfait across the EU and EEA at no extra cost ("Roam Like at Home"), within a fair-use data limit.
• Contract limits: any commitment is capped at 24 months, and most plans today are sans engagement. The loi Chatel governs how tacit renewals and cancellations must be handled. No commitment does not always mean no fee: the Bouygues group charges €5 to leave since 27 July 2026.
• Coverage and quality: ARCEP publishes independent coverage and quality-of-service data and runs the Mon réseau mobile coverage map.
• Net neutrality: France follows EU net-neutrality rules, so operators cannot throttle or prioritise traffic for commercial reasons.

What Should Expats Know About French Telecom?

Frequently Asked Questions

Official Sources

• ARCEP: French telecom regulator
• ARCEP Mon réseau mobile: independent coverage map
• Médiateur des communications électroniques: disputes
• DGCCRF: consumer protection and unfair practices
• service-public.fr: official guidance on téléphonie and internet
• Légifrance: Code de la consommation (article L224-33 on contract changes)

Sources: ARCEP (arcep.fr, including the 2025 mobile quality campaign published 24 September 2026), the Médiateur des communications électroniques, the DGCCRF, and operator tariff pages, as of October 2026. Verify current offers, prices, and coverage directly with each operator.

Related Guides

Continue your move to France

Related guides from other parts of How to France that newcomers usually need next.

Entity References

Full factual profiles for each brand covered on this page:

• Orange vs SFR vs Bouygues vs Free

  French Telecommunications

• Free vs SFR

  French Telecommunications

• Orange vs Free

  French Telecommunications

• RIO code

  French Telecommunications

• Forfait sans engagement

  French Telecommunications

• Orange vs Bouygues vs Free

  French Telecommunications

• Orange

  French Telecommunications

• SFR

  French Telecommunications

• Bouygues Telecom

  French Telecommunications

• Free Mobile

  French Telecommunications

• ARCEP

  French Government Regulator