Official explanation allow the refarming

(Arcep) telecoms regulatory authority will launch in the fall of a public consultation to "probe the market with respect to his interest in the fourth UMTS licence still available". Official explanation: allow the "refarming. It's to allow mobile operators to use their frequencies to regardless of the 2 G (GSM) or 3 G (UMTS). In other words, make the 3 g frequencies 2 G or 2 g in 3 G frequencies, so that today ' hui is strictly separated. Orange and SFR asked Arcep to engage in this "refarming. But, before you say yes, the regulator needs to know if there is a fourth 3 G operator, to also grant him 2 G frequencies. In other words, if you share the 2 G frequencies between the three existing operators, or if it in reserve for a fourth player. This supplemented informal explanations. Builders went to see the Arcep on the fourth licence, proposing to advance to the fourth operator the funding of the network. In addition, the regulator continues to suggest that the arrival of a fourth operator would inject competition in a market that still needs. It had already expressed this view in 2005, during its consultation on the mobile market. The problem is that, until now, nobody is interested in this last license.

Narrow margin of manoeuvre

Arcep could consider several tracks to make it more attractive. First, the obligations of 3 G coverage can be alleviated to put conditions in 2000 (). Then, it is already expected that the fourth operator, on the areas it covers, could use the network of other operators ("roaming"). But nothing was said on the price to pay for it by the fourth operator, prices could be fixed freely by the existing operators and thus be deterrent. Arcep may therefore go further and impose on the three existing operators a tariff that is "or excessive or eviction." It has already advanced this proposal in 2005 in his analysis of the market. However, the flexibility of the Arcep is close. Indeed, the conditions must be fair between the four licenses. Arcep cannot promote the fourth operator, under threat of being attacked by the other three for "breach of equality". But it has its limits: on the obligations of coverage, none of the three operators has met them, and are seen therefore evil attack on this ground. Remains that the major impediment to any candidate is the price of the licence: 619 million euros. However these financial conditions depend on the regulator, rather than of Bercy. Certainly, the Treasury will be delighted to return money. But Thierry Breton will want to see a fourth operator putting at risk the margins of mobile operators However, some believe that mobile operators are so discredited after their conviction for agreement that the political power can hardly continue to protect them. Therefore, if Bercy wanted, it would be possible to marginally improve the conditions. For example, by spreading the payments. Another track, more adventurous legally: reducing the price of the fourth licence on the grounds that it is less expensive, because the fourth operator will leave with several years of delay. It would mean to also retroactively reduce the price of the licence paid by Bouygues. All this is added the decrease in the cost of the equipment. Thus, said Orange now that its UMTS network will cost it 3 billion euros, against 5 billion expected initially. Operators were also easier access to finance during the crisis.