Free Mobile becomes France

Free Mobile on Tuesday became France's fourth mobile network operator, launching an unlimited voice, messaging and data plan that it claims undercuts the country's existing operators by some margin.
In addition, the company has brokered a deal with Apple and will be able to offer the iPhone 4S from 27 January.

"[Free is] the first operator to have signed a deal with Apple prior to launch," said Xavier Niel, chief strategy officer at Free Mobile's parent company Iliad, at a Webcast presentation.

He added that Free Mobile aims to make the Apple handset more accessible, giving customers the option to pay for it over 12, 24 or 36 months.

In addition to leveraging the pulling power of the iPhone, Free is relying on the draw of a low price point to attract customers.

"Our secret is quite simple: to have, at the same time, the most complete offer and at a lower price," said Niel. "You pay, in France, the highest prices in Europe."

Free Mobile plans to charge customers €19.99 per month for unlimited calls (including 40 destinations in Europe and North America), SMS, MMS and Internet access, albeit with a 3-GB fair usage cap on the latter.

"We have chosen to give you a true Internet," Niel said. He described offers from France's existing operators as "limited Internet", comprising only email and Web browsing. Free will also offer peer-to-peer access, VoIP and so on, he said.

He went on to point out that similar offers from Orange and from SFR are more than four times more expensive than Free's €19.99 package.

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