Arcep regularly publishes 2G, 3G and 4G coverage maps on its “Mon réseau mobile” (My mobile network) website. Produced by operators, these maps are based on modelling that factors in the location of cell towers, their transmit power, and the presence of geographical elements that could weaken their transmissions.
To improve publicly available information on “4G mobile internet” coverage, after a public consultation in spring 2024, Arcep is publishing a new Decision[1] on the data collected from operators for the production of its maps, along with stakeholders’ contributions to the consultation. This Decision will apply for the first time to coverage maps dated 31 December 2024 that operators are required to submit to Arcep in February 2025. These maps will be incorporated into the new version of the “Mon réseau mobile” website which is scheduled to launch by Q1 2025.
Providing a more accurate reflection of the user experience by adopting a more detailed view of 4G mobile internet coverage
Maps for “Voice and SMS (aka texting)” services currently distinguish four levels of coverage, ranging from “No coverage” to “Very good coverage”. Meanwhile, “mobile internet” coverage maps currently provide only a binary piece of information: covered or not covered.
To improve the information provided to users, and similarly to what exists for “Voice and SMS” maps, Arcep is introducing four “mobile internet” (4G) coverage levels for maps:
- “No coverage”: unlikely to be able to use mobile data services, whether indoors or outdoors;
- “Limited coverage”: possibility of using mobile data services outdoors in most cases, but probably not indoors;
- “Good coverage”: possibility of using mobile data services outdoors in most cases, and indoors in some cases;
- “Very good coverage”: possibility of using mobile data services outdoors and, in most cases, indoors.
The additional information provided by these levels will enable users to have a better idea of the theoretical mobile internet coverage available at a given address.
As a reminder, mobile coverage maps are produced using digital simulations, which provide information for the whole of France. However accurate these digital simulations may be, by their very nature they always represent simplified and imperfect views of reality. Nevertheless, mobile coverage maps must comply with a minimum level of reliability set by Arcep (increased from 95% to 98% by 2020). Arcep checks that the maps are consistent with the reality on the ground through regular measurement campaigns.