The Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (“ARCEP”) regulates the electronic communications sector and the postal services sector in France. 

The Code des postes et des communications électroniques (“CPCE”) is the most important legislation for the telecommunications sector in France, including transpositions of European directives. 

The telecommunications sector has been fully liberalised. Network operators and service providers are free to provide telecommunications services without requiring any form of approval from the regulator ARCEP, in accordance with the authorisation regime mandated by the European Electronic Communications Code("EECC"), and no restrictions prevent foreign investment or limit the percentage of foreign ownership of a telecommunications company in France.

France is a leading gateway and subsea cable hub connecting Europe with Asia, Africa and the United States.

Marseille is now the most hot cable landing site in France, with 16 submarine cables landing or confirmed to land in Marseille.

In 2019, the Port of Marseille-Fos constructed new subsea cable landing infrastructure which provides a reliable and convenient plug & play interface for subsea cables coming from all over the world to the Marseille area. The port delivers the first phase of the dedicated infrastructure which can land up to six cables, a one-stop shop system within the French administration for permitting process to facilitate applications, and secure facilities tailored to accommodate the Power Feed Equipment of subsea cables, while the Submarine Line Terminal Equipment (SLTE) can be installed flexbly at other cable landing stations or carrier neutral data centers.

Although it is open for licensed international companies to land subsea cable in France, Orange (France Telecom) have been participating in most of the projects as landing party in France.

Submarine cables connecting Asia and North/East Africa:

• 2Africa (under construction)
• AAE-1
• Africa-1 (under construction)
• Atlas Offshore
• EIG
• Hawk
• IMEWE
• Med Cable Network
• Medusa (under construction)
• PEACE
• SMW3
• SMW4
• SMW5
• SMW6 (under construction)
• TE North/ Tata TGN-EA / SEACOM / Alexandros
• TEAS (under construction)

Except for the SMW3 cable which lands together with ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) at Penmarch CLS, most of above submarine cables connecting France with Asia and North/East Africa land in Marseille.

Trans-Atlantic cables:

• TAT-14 (retired)
• Flag Atlantic 1 (FA-1)
• Apollo
• Dunant
• Amitié

Subsea cables connecting West Africa:

• ACE (Africa Coast to Europe)

And other Intra-Europe subsea cables.