French mobile network performance rankings have shifted dramatically as nPerf released its comprehensive evaluation covering the period from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026. The new study highlights significant variances between 4G and 5G deployment across the four major national operators: Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Orange, and Free.
4G Market: Bouygues Telecom Takes the Top Spot
When analyzing raw geographical coverage for legacy 4G infrastructure across France, the competitive hierarchy shifts away from historical expectations. Bouygues Telecom secures the leading position, achieving a 95,28 % geographical coverage rate.
The margins at the top of the 4G tier remain remarkably tight. SFR follows closely in second place with 95,23 % coverage, while Free occupies third position at 95,13 %. Orange trails behind its primary competitors in the 4G geographical metric, registering a coverage rate of 93,44 %.
5G Deployment: SFR Claims the Lead
Shifting the diagnostic focus to next-generation 5G networks reveals a different structural topology. Only four percentage points separate the highest-performing operator from the lowest across the entire national footprint.
SFR edges ahead to claim the first-place ranking in 5G geographical coverage, reaching 58,62 %. Bouygues Telecom maintains a strong secondary position at 57,25 %. Orange follows at 55,46 %, while Free registers 54,49 % coverage for its 5G network architecture.
Regional Discrepancies and Localized Performance
National aggregate metrics obscure the operational realities observed at the regional level. nPerf’s granular breakdown demonstrates that local network dominance varies considerably depending on the specific territory.
In 4G deployment, Bouygues Telecom captures the leading position across Normandie, Bretagne, Pays de la Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, Occitanie, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Meanwhile, SFR takes the top rank in Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Corse. Free secures first place in Hauts-de-France and Île-de-France. Notably, Orange does not lead in any single region for 4G geographical coverage.
The regional dynamics alter substantially when examining 5G infrastructure. Orange reverses its 4G standing by taking the regional lead in Hauts-de-France, Île-de-France, Grand Est, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Occitanie. SFR dominates 5G coverage in Normandie, Bretagne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and Corse. Bouygues Telecom leads in Pays de la Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur. Free does not secure the top regional position in any territory for 5G deployment during this evaluation cycle.
