French telecoms regulator Arcep is opening three separate inquiries into whether the country’s mobile operators are complying with their 3G rollout objectives, including if newcomer Free is trying hard enough to reach its network deployment target.

Free is required to cover 75 per cent of the French population by January 2015, not including its roaming deal with Orange. The regulator’s inquiry will ascertain whether the new entrant “is employing all of the means necessary to meet its obligation, and to assess any obstacles the rollout might encounter”.

Meanwhile Arcep will launch an inquiry into whether all four of the country’s mobile operators are meeting 3G commitments in rural areas.

Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom agreed to deploy a shared 3G network for 3,500 rural communities by end-2013. Free later joined the shared deployment.

However, the three largest operators have only achieved 25 per cent of the programme, hence Arcep’s investigation, which also wants to ensure Free’s involvement.

The third inquiry concerns SFR, which must cover 99 per cent of the French population as the final part of its 3G rollout obligation. Arcep wants to check this has happened.

The investigations comes as the country’s mobile market is being reshaped, firstly by the entry of cable operator Numericable as the new owner of SFR.

And by the possible acquisition of smaller rival Bouygues Telecom, itself the unsuccessful suitor for SFR in a battle won by Numericable.