Mobile operators in France invested €9.6 billion or $11.31 billion towards capital expenditure (Capex) in 2017, according to telecom regulator Arcep.

The below chart indicates that France-based telecom operators have invested €3 billion in mobile phone networks in 2017 as compared with €2.7 billion in 2016 and €2.3 billion in 2015.

The investment in fixed-line networks has gone up to €6.6 billion in 2017 as compared with €6.2 billion in 2016 and €5.5 billion in 2015.

The increase of €660 million as compared with the previous year for the Capex (excluding spending on frequencies) is significant for France at a time when several European nations are receiving less investment in telecom infrastructure.

“With an investment of €9.6 billion, we are seeing the telecom sector’s growing commitment to making up for lost time, and coming in line with the country’s infrastructure needs,” said Sebastien Soriano, Arcep Chair.

Mobile operators’ telecoms market revenue remained steady overall last year, with a mobile market that began to grow once again after six straight years of decline.

Arcep is lowering barriers to entry while also making stakeholders accountable and enabling all of them to monetise their efforts.

The latest edition of Europe’s Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), published on 18 May, reveals that France ranks 23 all networks combined, 27 on fixed superfast broadband, and 21 on 4G coverage.

Arcep has also launched a public consultation on making the 26 GHz band available to kick-start 5G rollouts.

In Europe, the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) identified the 26 GHz band as the “pioneer” band in this range of millimetre wave frequencies, for a maiden use of the band before 2020.

26 GHz band frequencies are currently assigned to Arcep, and used by radio-relay systems. The public consultation seeks to obtain stakeholders’ feedback on the framework governing 26 GHz band licences for radio-relay systems.