For the 2024 Olympic Games, Orange is temporarily offering 5G to its 4G subscribers, without additional cost or change of plan. A nice gift lasting three months! It’s a change from the usual price increases!
The weather is not good at the moment for subscribers of major operators! With the exception of Free, all of them keep increasing the prices of their subscriptions, hiding behind the excuses of rising energy costs and inflation. Also, when they decide to show generosity, users bring out the champagne! On the occasion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Orange has decided to give its customers a gift by offering access to 5G to all 4G subscribers, without additional cost or need to change their mobile plan. Eligible people will be informed shortly by SMS. A golden opportunity for those who have not yet taken the plunge, which will allow them to test the gain in speed and stability offered by the 5G connection.
5G Orange: a temporary gift to relieve congestion on the network
This decision concerns both private and professional customers of the operator, whether they use an Orange or Sosh subscription – its low-cost formula. However, this gift does not concern mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) who purchase their access to Orange infrastructures. To be able to take advantage of it, you must also have a 5G compatible smartphone. Overall, all mid- or high-end phones released after 2021 are, but it’s best to check.
But why such generosity on the part of Orange? It is linked to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, which will take place on July 26 on the banks of the Seine and will bring together some 326,000 spectators. Suffice to say that the majority of them risk pulling out their smartphones to immortalize the event and let those around them know, through instant messaging or social networks, that they are attending it live. “We have been preparing for the event for months. The banks of the Seine have never been used to meet such a need and we are working precisely to ensure that the fluidity of the network is up to par for our customers”, explains Jean-François Fallacher, general manager of Orange France. For the occasion, more than ten temporary 5G antennas were installed in the capital. By switching some of its subscribers to 5G, Orange hopes to avoid saturation of its network, which will be in high demand, since 4G and 5G do not use the same frequency bands. During the sporting event, the capital and its surroundings will be assailed by visitors.
Please note that Orange’s gift is temporary. Access to 5G at no extra cost for 4G customers will last until September 8, 2024, the closing date of the Paralympic Games. After which, subscribers will automatically switch back to 4G. Here again, the operator has an idea in mind since the operation is an opportunity to demonstrate its 5G network and to encourage its 4G customers to consider switching to a 5G package… for a few euros of more per month! For their part, Free, Bouygues Telecom and SFR have not announced any initiative of this type.