The French market is facing an inevitable slowdown as it reaches saturation point. According to Informa Telecoms & Media's World Cellular Information Service, France had a market penetration of 90.72 per cent in March 2008, up from 84.58 per cent for the same period last year. Three network operators dominate the French mobile market: Orange with 26 million subscibers, SFR with 20 million and Bouygues Telecom with 9.4 million. A large number of MVNOs operate in France but they have thus far struggled to make an impact. Indeed, a European Commission report, Progress Report on the Single European Electronic Communication Market, 2007, judged the French mobile market "not competitive" and highlighted how MVNOs have failed to introduce effective competition in France. The report points out that, of the 13 MVNOs operating in the French market, none has control over network elements and their market share has increased only slightly. One reason for the limited impact of virtual operators is the restrictions imposed by the mobile operators on the provision of access to their networks; which is compounded by a lack of relevant regulation.
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