-
Tiger mosquitoes: Local authorities in France on alert
Anti-mosquito campaigns aim to raise awareness of how to avoid the insects and the diseases they can carry
-
TGV driver killed when train crashes into lorry at level crossing in France
Lorry was carrying military goods. A dozen train passengers were injured in collision
-
UK retiree re-elected to town council in south of France
Retiree Karen Blakemore lost her seat in Saint-Merd-de-Lapleau in Corrèze six years after her first election in 2014
Customers unhappy with mobile and fibre after fast roll-out in France
High-speed internet access has improved but customers are complaining about poor quality service and shoddy installation
France’s all-out push to increase mobile phone and high-speed internet access has left many customers unhappy with the service once they get it.
Record number of complaints
Some 17% of SFR customers have complained about phone or internet – 13% of Bouygues customers, 9% with Orange, and 8% with Free, says telecoms regulator Arcep.
Years of investment might have improved access but Arcep said the quality was lagging, judging by the number of complaints on its J’alerte l’Arcep app.
These hit 38,060 in 2021, up 14% on 2020, although the regulator said a survey by poll firm CSA had found a very slight improvement on the ratings customers gave the four main operators.
SFR was lowest, with 7.2 out of 10; Bouygues 7.5; then Free and Orange on top, with 7.9.
The previous year’s results varied between 7.1 and 7.7, with the firms in the same positions.
Read more: Snail-pace data, good deal: Which French mobile operator do you use?
Installation subcontracted up to eight times
Arcep said that while only 30% of users complained of mobile problems, 51% complained about fixed lines, especially fibre-optic lines, where 49% had technical problems – as against 27% for fraud and nuisance calls.
Hardest-hit were customers on Free and SFR, with complaints of not enough lines and broken fibre-optic cabling.
Journalists from Le Monde discovered that work installing fibre-optic cabling could be subcontracted up to eight times, with the final installer making very little and some even ‘stealing’ lines from other operators to complete jobs.
Before-and-after photos could raise quality of work
A follow-up on TF1 news found connection cabinets left by subcontractors with a ‘rats nest’ of jumbled cables and some residents opening cabinets themselves to reconnect, rather than waiting weeks for the operators to do the job.
Arcep is looking at making installers take before-and-after photos of cabinets to ensure good work.
Related articles
Tens of thousands of French homes lose internet as vandals cut cables
