Internet access provider: which offer to choose

Internet access requires a terminal (computer, telephone, tablet, etc.) connected to an electronic communications network.

Internet operators: List and offers of all ISPs in France

Several Internet access providers have positioned themselves in France. These HAPs try to distinguish each other in order to capture an ever wider clientele. Some will thus focus on particularly complete services, while others will prefer low prices and remove any concept of commitment.

Internet access providers are divided into different categories:

• Historical operators.
• Internet box suppliers without obligation.
• Operators offering 4G boxes.
• Firms specializing in satellite subscriptions.

Note that some Internet service providers enter several of these categories. Free for example is considered a historic operator, but it also offers non -binding boxes as well as a 4G box offer.

• A quality mobile network

Bouygues Telecom is a historic operator with Orange and SFR and is distinguished by its very complete phone packages, with highly requested services and real customer service. The quality to price ratio is excellent.

• The SFR network with complete packages

Coriolis Telecom is an operator using the SFR network essentially. The offers proposed are multiple and meet everyone’s needs: without obligation, with telephone, with duration commitment.

• The cheapest with the quality that follows

The French telecoms landscape would be very different without free. The operator who has revolutionized the world of mobile telephony continues to offer suitable packages by keeping the objective of being one of the cheapest.

• A varied range of offers

Nordnet is an operator held by Orange which offers a range of fairly complete mobile plans on the orange network. These subscriptions are all free of engagement and unlimited.

• Best mobile network in France

Orange is the number 1 operator in France and offers the best network coverage. The operator has a range of mobile plans with and without a duration commitment to meet the needs of all.

• The most attractive operator

Red by SFR is a very popular operator thanks to its very aggressive mobile offers. The operator always offers adapted mobile plans according to developments in consumer needs.

• A range of offers for all

SFR is a historic operator who offers telephone subscriptions essentially with commitment, reduced prices and other services. The choice is vast to satisfy all customers.

• The operator without obligation by Orange

SOSH is the brand without obligation of the Orange operator. Sosh’s objective is to offer mobile plans at attractive prices without having to commit. For this, a range of targeted offers is accessible.

The content of this page was verified by an editorial expert on the date of 03/02/2022

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Internet access provider: which offer to choose ?

Internet access requires a terminal (computer, telephone, tablet, etc.) connected to an electronic communications network.

A modem, connected to the operator’s network by a wall outlet will make you understandable by your computer, the information transported on the network of your Internet access provider (ISP) via an Ethernet wire or a WiFi connection.

ISPs provide or praise “boxes” including the modem function and many other features dependent on the operator, such as television and fixed telephony for example.

Internet access methods

In France, there are essentially three access modes: The copper network (Historically the telephone network), The cable network (historically used for television) and the fiber optic network to the subscriber. The satellite network is little used.

Before choosing your ISP, you should know which network your home is connected. ISP sites, or the Maconnexion Internet site.arcep.fr, allow you to test accessible technologies from your accommodation. Operators are free to offer the technologies they wish to future subscribers.Thus, most operators no longer offer access to the copper network when access to the fiber network is possible.

With copper technology, the quality of the offer strongly depends on the residential area (large cities, medium-sized cities, villages, city center, suburbs, etc.)).

In the majority of the territory, ADSL 1 gives access to broadband. It allows you to emit or download content much faster than a so -called low speed connection. Internet browsing comfort is higher. Depending on the residential area and the ISP, the performance is variable (from 500kb/s to 28mb/s).

Nevertheless, beware, the actual flow that you will be able to differ from the flow announced in a commercial document:

• The announced debit is descendant (download from the Internet to your computer), while the amount of amount (sending computer data to the Internet) is typically 10x smaller;
• The maximum real value depends on the distance between your accommodation and the telephone distributor (distance and associated debit can be determined on various websites);
• The flow varies depending on the quality of the equipment (modem, wires, “wifi” network, etc.), of the telephone line and its use (number of people connected to the same distributor or the number of people connected at the same time to your home). Connection time and climatic conditions can also influence flows.

Good to know

Watching TV by ADSL decreases your accessible debit for Internet.

Several FAI use the cable television network whose theoretical flow rates are higher than the ADSL (at least 30 Mb/s and often an even higher flow, greater than 100 Mb/s). Its constraints are different from those of ADSL:

• The announced debit is, as for ADSL, a downhill debit (data download from the Internet to your computer);
• The maximum real value is, for new offers, reachable by all subscribers because the network is in fiber optics up to a distance very close to the subscriber (for example to the building’s foot, “fttb or fiber to The Building ”) and the length of coaxial copper cable is short. However, access to the Internet is shared with your neighbors: the rate actually accessible at a given time will therefore depend on the use of the network by the latter;
• The upright flow is lower than for the fiber to the subscriber;
• Finally, the descending speed announced is entirely available for the Internet. Unlike the ADSL, watching television does not decrease the latter.

Internet service provider, questions to ask before committing:

• What a network ? To which network is connected my home (copper, cable, fiber) and which to choose according to my needs. The choice of network will determine the comfort of use and, in some cases the services to which I would be eligible (television, telephone, home automation or video on demand for example).
• Which access provider ? I choose my supplier according to the network I wish (all ISPs do not offer all networks at the same address). I check the prices of the offer while paying attention to all additional costs (commissioning costs or termination costs for example). I am vigilant about the possible commitment period proposed by the supplier. Finally, I verify that the services included in the offer correspond to my needs: connection quality, inclusion of unlimited fixed telephony, television bouquet offered or box functionalities.

Fiber to the subscriber

You can also access the Internet by an optical fiber deployed even on the landing of your accommodation (or “FTTH” either “Fiber to the Home”).

The theoretical maximum flows are then virtually infinite. But due to limitations in other points of the network, the offers announce theoretical flows from 100MB/s to 1GB/s:

• The maximum real value does not depend on the distance between your accommodation and the optical distributor;
• Several “FTTH” technologies are deployed. Some give direct access to the distributor;
• Others provide shared access with your neighbors.

Thanks to its reliability and speed, fiber is today the technology that allows you to obtain the best comfort of use of the internet at home. The fiber network aims to gradually replace the copper network for the main part of the uses: it is a network of the future.

Wherever your accommodation is located in France, you can access the Haut-Débit Internet by satellite. The satellite Internet provides high speed even in difficult to access or not populated areas.

Choose your Internet access provider

Before taking out an offer, get the contractual summary of the offer on the FAI website. This summary presents all the content of the offer: network, debit, price, additional costs and associated services.

• The FAI services differ mainly on three points:
• the flow rate of the connection network (copper, cable or optical fiber) and equipment installed by FAI. It directly affects your comfort during internet browsing. From a few Mb/s, you can “surf” comfortably. With higher speeds, comfort is better and you can download large files, such as videos, much faster;
• television or presses bouquets;
• The quality of the “box” and the decoder: some FAI choose to integrate many features into these equipment that influences the television experience that you can have: replay, direct or video control on demand for example.

1 The ADSL (of English Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) is a digital communication technique which makes it possible to transmit and receive data independently from the conventional telephone service (that is to say analog).

The above elements are given as information. They are not necessarily exhaustive and cannot replace official texts.

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