La croissance du nombre de cartes SIM se stabilise : leur nombre s’élève en France à 83,8 millions fin décembre 2024, + 10 000 cartes au quatrième trimestre 2024, soit une évolution équivalente à celle du quatrième trimestre 2023 Sur le marché métropolitain, le nombre de cartes SIM (hors cartes MtoM) s’élève à 81,3 millions. La croissance trimestrielle de ces cartes au quatrième trimestre 2024, + 70 000 cartes, est similaire à celle observée au quatrième trimestre 2023, 80 000 cartes. En métropole, l’acquisition d’un opérateur mobile virtuel au cours du trimestre conduit à la baisse de la part de marché des MVNO. Sur le marché entreprises, la croissance trimestrielle du nombre de cartes SIM ralentit fortement. Toutefois, la croissance annuelle du nombre de cartes SIM (+ 2,8 %) sur ce segment de marché reste nettement supérieure à celle du marché post-payé résidentiel (+ 0,5 %). En outre-mer, le nombre de cartes SIM en service recule en raison de résiliations en masse de cartes prépayées. Il diminue de 60 000 cartes après trois trimestres de progression. Le nombre de cartes SIM MtoM diminue également : après une année de croissance soutenue, le quatrième trimestre 2024 est marqué par un volume de résiliations important de cartes inactives. Document associé
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Brief
On June 02, 2025, the French Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Postal and Print Media Distribution (ARCEP) issued an update regarding Mobile Services Observatory ARCEP publishes its monitoring of the mobile services observatory in the 4th quarter of 2024. The number of SIM cards in France stabilized at 83.8 million by end-December 2024, with a similar growth rate to Q4 2023. In metropolitan France, MVNO market share declined due to an acquisition by a virtual mobile operator.
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Purpose:
The stabilization of SIM card growth is a notable trend, as indicated by the French market data. The number of SIM cards reached 83.8 million at the end of December 2024, with a minimal increase of 10,000 cards in the fourth quarter of 2024, mirroring the same rate of growth observed in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Effects on Industry:
The SIM card market’s stabilization has significant implications for the telecommunications industry. The trend may indicate that the market is reaching saturation point, with fewer new subscribers being added. This could lead to a shift in focus towards retaining existing customers and improving customer loyalty programs. Additionally, the slowdown in SIM card growth may have a ripple effect on related industries, such as smartphone sales and mobile network infrastructure investments.
Relevant Stakeholders:
The stabilization of SIM card growth affects various stakeholders in the telecommunications industry, including:
- Mobile operators, who must adapt to changing market conditions and focus on retaining existing customers
- MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators), whose market share has declined due to increased competition from mobile virtual operators
- Consumers, who may see fewer new features and services being introduced by mobile operators as they focus on cost-cutting measures
- Investors, who must reassess their investment strategies in light of the changing SIM card market trends
Next Steps:
To comply with or respond to this update, stakeholders should:
- Mobile operators should review their customer retention strategies and consider investing in loyalty programs and value-added services to drive revenue growth
- MVNOs should focus on differentiating themselves through innovative services and pricing models to regain market share
- Consumers should expect fewer new features and services being introduced by mobile operators, but also potentially lower prices as a result of increased competition
Any Other Relevant Information:
Historically, the SIM card market has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by increasing smartphone adoption and data consumption. However, this trend appears to be stabilizing, with minimal increases in SIM card numbers being reported. This shift may have long-term implications for the telecommunications industry, including changes in revenue streams and investment strategies.
