French mobile customers grew by 7.4 percent in a year to reach 72 million at the end of September, the highest annual growth rate in 10 years, according to telecom regulator Arcep. The figure represents a 110.3 percent penetration rate nationally, including both metropolitan France and overseas regions. In continental France and Corsica the subscriber base increased by 7.6 percent in one year to 69.3 million at the end of September, 1.5 million more than at the end of June. Postpaid accounts increased by approximately 940,000 and M2M lines by 460,000 in the third quarter. The country's four MNOs had 61.4 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter, and MVNOs had 7.8 million. MVNOs' 13.5 percent market share was stable compared to the second quarter. Voice traffic was up 11 percent on a year earlier in the first half, while SMS and data traffic were 28.8 percent and 68.6 percent higher.
