Mobile Plans in France in 2026: A Clear Guide for Residents

How the French mobile market is structured

France has four mobile network operators (MNOs) authorised by ARCEP: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile. Each one operates its own antennas and frequencies (700 MHz, 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3.5 GHz for 5G). Alongside the MNOs, around thirty mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) lease capacity on these networks and sell their own branded plans: La Poste Mobile, NRJ Mobile, Prixtel, Cdiscount Mobile, Auchan Telecom, Lebara and Lycamobile, among others.

This structure, reinforced by the arrival of Free Mobile in 2012, places France among the most accessible mobile markets in Europe. For scale, ARCEP records 81.4 million active SIM cards for a population of around 68 million people. The gap is explained by machine-to-machine SIM cards (connected objects, alarms, telemetry) and by users who hold both a personal and a professional line.

No-commitment, commitment, prepaid: three structures, three logics

No-commitment plan (forfait sans engagement)

This is now the dominant structure on the French market. You pay a monthly subscription for the mobile service only; the handset is either already yours or purchased separately (in cash or with a dedicated credit). Cancellation is free: under the Loi Chatel and article L.224-39 of the French Consumer Code, it takes effect within 10 days of the request at the latest (or immediately if you trigger number portability to another operator).

The upside is full flexibility. The catch is that welcome promotions (often valid for 6 or 12 months) may hide a noticeably higher price afterwards. Always read the post-promotional tariff, which is usually shown in small print next to the headline price.

Commitment plan of 12 or 24 months

This format is still used, mainly when you want to acquire a subsidised smartphone and spread its cost over the commitment period. The Loi Chatel strictly regulates early termination fees (article L.224-28 of the French Consumer Code):

• 12-month commitment: you owe all the remaining monthly fees until the end of the contract.
• 24-month commitment: during the first 12 months, you owe all the remaining fees; from month 13 onwards, only 25% of the remaining monthly fees.

If the subscription is bundled with a subsidised handset, you also have to repay the unamortised part of the subsidy. Before signing, work out the full 24-month cost (subscription plus handset) and compare it with "phone bought outright + no-commitment plan" to measure the real premium.

Capped plan and prepaid

A capped plan (forfait bloque) cuts consumption off automatically beyond the allowance: no bill shock, but no continuity either. A prepaid formula (card or top-up) requires no bank details and no contractual commitment. It suits very occasional users, younger users or people in administrative transition. Per-minute, per-SMS and per-MB rates are noticeably higher than with a subscription.

Choosing your data allowance without overpaying

Data is the variable that drives the biggest price difference between plans. The following benchmarks cover most profiles:

• Light usage (email, browsing, occasional social media): 5 to 10 GB per month is enough.
• Average usage (daily social media, music streaming, GPS): 20 to 50 GB.
• Heavy usage (mobile video, regular tethering, online gaming): 80 to 200 GB.
• Unlimited plan: for users whose smartphone is their main internet access. Read the fair use policy: even on "unlimited" plans, tethering or constant streaming can be throttled past a certain threshold.

A simple method: check your actual consumption over the last three months in your operator's app or in the "Network / Mobile data" settings of your smartphone. Many subscribers pay for 50 or 100 GB while only using 10 to 20.

Network coverage: as important as the price

A budget plan on a network with poor reception at your address ends up costlier than a slightly more expensive plan that actually works day to day. ARCEP publishes official coverage maps for each operator on monreseaumobile.arcep.fr, with detail by address, by generation (2G/3G/4G/5G) and by category ("very good coverage", "good", "limited", "no coverage").

In urban areas, all four operators offer complete 4G coverage. Differences mostly appear in rural zones, inside buildings (materials, reinforced concrete) or during peak congestion. When you choose an MVNO, the coverage matches that of the host network (Orange, SFR or Bouygues Telecom depending on the case), but access priority may be slightly lower under saturation.

Number portability: the official 2026 procedure

Number portability is free and guaranteed by regulation. Here is the procedure as described by service-public.fr and ARCEP:

1. Get your RIO. Dial 3179 from your current French mobile line (free call, available 24/7, including from abroad). You receive your RIO (Releve d'Identite Operateur), a unique 12-character code, by SMS.
2. Subscribe with the new operator. Provide the RIO and ask to keep your number when subscribing. The new operator handles the notification to your previous provider.
3. Wait for activation. Porting is completed within 3 working days maximum. During that window your old line stays active. On switch-over day the old SIM is deactivated and the new one takes over. A short interruption (typically under 4 hours) may occur.

The previous contract is automatically cancelled on the porting date. You will receive a final invoice for the pro-rata days consumed before cancellation. If you had a commitment plan, the early termination fees calculated under the Loi Chatel still apply (see above).

EU roaming: what is included, what is not

Since 15 June 2017, the "Roam Like At Home" principle has applied throughout the European Union. It was renewed by regulation (EU) 2022/612 of 6 April 2022, in force until 30 June 2032. Your French operator must let you use your calls, SMS and data "as at home" in:

• the 27 European Union member states;
• Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein (EEA);
• certain French overseas territories (DOM, depending on plan terms).

The regulation authorises a fair use policy designed to prevent permanent use of the plan outside France. A specific roaming data cap may be set according to the price of your plan and the duration of your stay; beyond that cap, a moderate regulated surcharge applies. Exact thresholds appear in each operator's general terms.

Outside the EU/EEA (Switzerland, post-Brexit United Kingdom, Turkey, North Africa, etc.), billing follows the operator's standard international rates. Check before travelling: a daily or weekly "travel pass", an international eSIM or a local SIM at destination is often more affordable.

Extra charges and special numbers: avoiding surprises

Even an "all unlimited" plan can generate out-of-plan billing. The most common categories:

• Special and premium-rate numbers (08XX, short codes 3XXX): the call charge has two parts, a call price plus a service price. Tariff signage (green = free, grey = call cost only, purple = call cost plus service cost) is mandatory under DGCCRF rules.
• Premium SMS and MMS for purchases, donations or subscriptions. The "Stop SMS" mechanism (sending STOP to the short code) remains a consumer right.
• Non-included international calls: check the list of destinations covered before dialling outside the EU.
• Non-EU/EEA roaming and maritime/in-flight roaming: separately billed, worth disabling for the duration of a flight or cruise.

In case of abnormal or disputed billing, ask the customer service to fix it, then escalate to the Mediateur des communications electroniques (mediation-telecom.org, free for consumers). In parallel, the J'alerte l'ARCEP report (jalerte.arcep.fr) feeds the regulator's public indicators even if it does not produce an individual reply.

Your rights at a glance: what French law guarantees

Subscribing to a French mobile plan means benefiting from a protective legal framework:

• Withdrawal right: 14 days after distance subscription (online or by phone), article L.221-18 of the French Consumer Code.
• No-commitment cancellation: effective within 10 days of the request (article L.224-39).
• Loi Chatel: caps early termination fees on commitment plans (article L.224-28).
• Free number portability within 3 working days, guaranteed by ARCEP.
• EU/EEA roaming included (regulation 2022/612 until 2032).
• Remedies: customer service then Mediateur des communications electroniques, with J'alerte l'ARCEP signalling in parallel.