France had 14,984 sites authorized for LTE, by May 1, or 4.8 percent more than for a month earlier, Telecompaper.com reports, quoting national frequencies agency ANFR.

Bouygues Telecom had authorizations for 6,971 sites and had 6,061 in service as of May 1, while Orange France had 6,059 sites approved and 5,900 in service, SFR had 2,768, with 1,617 in service, and Free Mobile had 2,046, with 1,293 in service.

There were 10 counties that accounted for a third of new 4G authorizations, with Alpes-Maritimes and Bouches-du-Rhone accounting for 11 percent of new authorizations.