4G in France set to bring internet boost

THE next step in mobile phones is a little way off for most in France, but 4G promises streaming high quality film, fast loading web pages and seamless video calling.

In France two mobile phone service providers are at the forefront of 4G with France Telecom and Bouygues Telecom saying they aim to have a service available in major cities in the coming months.

Earlier this year France Telecom launched a 4G pilot in Marseilles, giving people the chance to learn more about what the high speed service could offer.

With the promise that Lyon and Nantes will be able to experience Orange 4G by the end of the year, followed by 12 other cities by summer 2013.

There are a couple of things to bear in mind before jumping on the 4G bandwagon, the first is that the current service is a data-only connection, this means that if you are checking the internet out and you get a mobile phone call than connection will automatically switch to 3G.

Also many existing mobile phones can not work on 4G networks, the most recent offerings from manufacturers should, especially those priced at the top end, but it is something to check.

Something else to consider if you travel overseas is that the Orange 4G frequencies will operate in the ranges 2.6 GHz and 800 MHz, but elsewhere that is not the case so if your phone is not able to receive the local frequency bands used for 4G then you can not access it.

While wide-ranging coverage across France is likely to be a few years off, one beneficiary of 4G mobile phone connections could be countryside residents.

The present ADSL broadband service that those in the French countryside currently experience, with sometimes crawling rates of web access and bottlenecks, could be overtaken by 4G and enable people to use their phones and tablets directly.

At present, unless you are really keen to be an early adopter and want the latest mobile phone with the quickest internet access, then you might want to wait a wee while to see how the market shakes out and what deals and offers are eventually available.