Data from Wireless World Forum?s ?France Mobile Market? statistical handbook reveals that the French Mobile Market is in good health, with ARPU, at $44.10 pcm, higher than most European countries including the UK and Germany. ARPU is rising and will reach $44.80 pcm by 2007.

Subscriber numbers are also on the rise, with the number of unique owners in France set to climb from 42.3 million to 44.4 million by 2007 ? a penetration rate of 83%. Increasing ownership and ARPU will lead to increasing revenues, with a year on year growth of 3.5% forecast up until 2007.

The mix of voice and data services in France is changing, with data as a percentage of ARPU rising to 19% by 2007.

In 2005, all three French operators saw a rise in revenues. I-mode affiliate Bouygues Telecom increased its market share by revenue, achieving the highest voice and data ARPU growth of all three players.

Data Contained in the Report on:

• Orange France
• SFR
• Bouygues Telecom