Free

Under the Free brand, the Iliad Group has been operating the AS12322 (Proxad) autonomous system since 2002—one of France’s leading IP networks in terms of the number of connected users—after playing a pioneering role in the full unbundling of the copper local loop in competition with the incumbent operator. The deployment of the FTTH network is handled by Free Infrastructure, a subsidiary dedicated to the construction and operation of fiber-optic lines to the subscriber, whose network now exceeds 6.7 million active lines across the group. Outside densely populated areas, network expansion continues through IFT, a joint venture with InfraVia focused on less densely populated regions. As an infrastructure operator, Free provides access to its FTTH lines to third-party commercial operators through co-financing offers in Very Dense Zones and Outside Very Dense Zones—an open-access model that allows multiple service providers to market their own offerings on a shared network. The Proxad backbone maintains peering relationships with nearly 240 networks and international transit providers such as Lumen, Arelion, and Cogent, with a presence at several French Internet exchange points. This role as a manager of optical local loops and backhaul networks makes Free a key player in France’s IP interconnection ecosystem.