Free Mobile hits coverage threshold, may start for Christmas

French mobile network licence holder Free Mobile's infrastructure already covers 27 percent of the population, technically allowing it to launch services before its January 2012 target date, company sources told le Figaro. The MVNO thus meets a 27 percent coverage requirement in its licence and a 25 percent threshold in its roaming agreement with Orange France. Free CEO Xavier Niel told Le Figaro that Free Mobile has been testing its network equipment for 15 days. Free Mobile has recruited about 1,000 staff, including over 800 in technical support. It has opened two stores in Rouen and Troyes and a third will follow soon in Angers, followed by ten or so more by the end of the year. The operator confirmed that it would halve the price of mobile services, as it pledged in 2008. It may launch an unlimited voice, SMS and internet subscription for EUR 29.99. Smaller packages could start at EUR 9.99 for 2 hours of calls, EUR 14.99 for 2 hours of calls and 1 GB of mobile data, and EUR 19.99 for 5 hours and 1 GB. Niel said that there would be no lengthy pre-registration as there was with the Freebox Revolution CPE. Free Mobile will go live the day after its launch announcement. LA Tribune writes that the operator could easily distribute Sim cards to its nearly 5 million broadband subscribers as an opening gambit. A start at the end of November or early December would give Free Mobile a strong pre-Christmas launch.