To really benefit from 4G, the frequencies available on a smartphone must correspond to those used by the chosen operator. Explanations.

To really benefit from 4G, the frequencies available on a smartphone must correspond to those used by the chosen operator. Explanations.

Pending the advent of 5G, which promises mountains and wonders with speeds worthy of fiber optics, it is 4G which is massively used by operators to exchange data with mobiles, in particular by giving access to the Internet, and all online services.

What are the 4G frequencies used in France?

However, it is not enough to have a high-end smartphone to take full advantage of this technology. Indeed, the 4G LTE used in Europe uses several frequency bands (carriers, in communications jargon). In France, five frequency bands are authorized by the authorities: B28 (700 MHz), B20 (800 MHz), B3 (1800 MHz), B1 (2100 MHz) and B7 (2600 MHz). Without going into technical details, and to put it simply, the lower the frequency used, the further the signal carries and the better it passes through the walls of homes. This is also the reason why operators have for some time favored the use of the B28 and B20 bands, in order to cover rural areas more easily.

But the important thing is not there: indeed, it is not the users who choose the bands exploited, but the operators. And not all of them have the same priorities, for technical, economic and historical reasons, as can be seen in the table below which summarizes the number of 4G antennas in service in mainland France according to operators and frequencies. Thus, Free Mobile only uses three out of five bands: mainly B3, B7 and B28 – it is even the most advanced on this fairly popular frequency –, while SFR and Orange make extensive use of B3 and B20, a little less B1 and B7, and hardly any B28, and that Bouygues Telecom has a slightly more balanced use of frequencies, with a predominance of B20 and B3.

Number of 4G antennas in service with operators in mainland France (source: ANFR – June 2020)

Check the 4G compatibility of a smartphone

Gold not all 4G-stamped smartphones are compatible with all frequencies. This is particularly the case with models imported from China, which often only manage the highest bands (B1, B3 and B7). Admittedly, the major brands have followed the evolution of frequencies and practically all recent smartphones manage the five French bands. But older models, especially those found on the second-hand market, can cause problems with some operators.. It is therefore important to correctly associate smartphone and operator by checking the compatible frequencies.

For this, we can use a site like Kimovilwhich allows you to know all the technical characteristics of any smartphone – even very rare models –, and therefore to check the compatibility of frequencies.

For example, a Samsung Galaxy S10 – a top-of-the-range model – manages the five French 4G bands well, while a Xiaomi Redmi 8 – an entry-level mobile – only recognizes four, just like a Huawei P30 Lite. Depending on the operator chosen, we will therefore have access to 4G completely or only partially…

Know the location of 4G antennas in France

In addition, to ensure optimal comfort in daily use of 4G, it is also important to know the location of the antennas in a given area. As you can imagine, everything is fine in dense areas – large cities – where all the operators are well established with many antennas generally offering all frequencies: whatever the smartphone and the operator, we are guaranteed have 4G. But it is different in rural areas where the pylons are rarer, with more territory to cover. Especially since, again, they are not all compatible with all 4G frequencies.

To check the installation of the operators and know the precise characteristics of each antenna, it is advisable to consult specialized sites such as Mobile Antennas Where the observatory of the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) which indicate on interactive maps the precise position of the antennas for each operator, with the frequencies used.

We can thus see that there are still huge differences depending on the location and the operator depending on the smartphone used, a somewhat old model – two or three years old – which can perfectly receive 4G in town but find itself blocked in 3G in certain areas.

Eventually, in a few years, the question will no longer arise because the whole territory should be covered by 4G – following an agreement between the operators and the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (Arcep) – and all smartphones in circulation will be able to manage the five frequency bands. But this is not yet the case, hence the interest of checking mobile-operator compatibility before changing model or plan…