For several days now, Orange has been offering a new formula called Just Livebox, with only a fiber box, without a TV decoder. A seemingly interesting offer, but which faces more advantageous competition.
While waiting for new high-end boxes to appear on the market to compete with the Freebox Ultra, Internet service providers seem to be fighting in the entry-level field. A sign of the times in this period of generalized inflation, this battle is based on prices rather than technological assets, focusing on the essentials with a minimum of associated services. And this trend responds to a simple need: providing a connection without frills, and more precisely without a TV decoder. More and more users, and particularly young people, have no use for television as they consume video via specialized streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video, to name but a few. than the best known. And they do just as well without phone calls to mobiles, since they are now included in most packages.
It is in this context that Orange has been marketing an offer called Just Livebox Fiber Special Series since mid-April 2024. An offer that is undoubtedly temporary, as the name Special Series seems to suggest, and which only concerns users eligible for optical fiber. Based on the venerable Livebox 5, released in 2019 and equipped with Wi-Fi 5, it promises speeds of up to 400 Mbit/s for downloading (downloading) and sending (uploading). In addition to the Internet connection, it includes unlimited telephone calls, but only to landline numbers in mainland France and the overseas departments. The minimum, therefore, for 19.99 euros per month for 6 months then 33.99 euros per month, with a 12-month commitment, A rather reasonable price in appearance, for those who do not need more speed or services.
Just Livebox Fiber Special Series: a not so advantageous price
The problem is that this entry-level offer is not the only one on the market. It already has to contend with La Boîte Sosh, the low-cost formula from Orange’s low-cost subsidiary which offers equivalent services, but with speeds limited to 300 Mbit/s and a price of 15.99 euros per month for 6 months, then 30.99 euros per month, and without commitment, all on the Orange network, obviously. It must also face the Bbox Fit formula from Bouygues Telecom which offers exactly the same services in terms of speeds, with the same 12-month commitment conditions, but for 18.99 euros per month for 6 months then 32.99 euros per month. month. And that’s without counting on SFR, whose Red Box formula offers similar services, but with speeds of 500 Mbit/s, for 25.99 euros per month, without any commitment and without change in price – at least, for the moment.
Not sure therefore that the Just Livebox Fiber Special Series is as advantageous as hoped in the face of such competition, especially if we calculate its cost over the medium and long term. Because, over one year, it amounts to 323.88 euros. And at 731.76 euros over two years. Which is ultimately more than Free’s cheapest offer, namely the Freebox Revolution Light, offered at a fixed price, 29.99 euros per month, still limited to calls to landlines and Wi-Fi 5, but without commitment, with higher speeds (1 Gbit/s down and 600 Mbit/s up), and with a TV decoder giving access to some 240 free channels, all for a total of 719.76 euros over two years. In the end, only those who prefer the historic operator’s network will find it interesting to turn to this very special new series.