‘Unlimited’ mobile service for €19.99

FREE boss Xavier Niel promised “nothing will be as it was before” as he launched an “unlimited” mobile phone package for €19.99 with calls included to 40 countries.

The package, which includes calls, texts, multimedia messages and internet, will be only €15.99 for those who already use Free for home internet, he added. There will be no obligation to sign up for a set period.

Mr Niel spoke to journalists at the launch, though the official site at Free Mobile was stuck on the intro page, saying “please wait, you will discover our offers in a few moments”.

He attacked other operators, claiming their prices were several times more expensive, and people were “mugs” if they stayed with them. “Give your mobile phone operator a lesson,” he said. “Tell them you’ve understood. Come and join us or tell them they can offer the same price – we leave the choice of weapons to you.”

He said they considered their prices were the correct market ones and it was up the other companies now to amend theirs. “People in France have the highest tariffs in the world,” he said.

Mr Niel said packages including an iPhone would be possible (the standard ones are understood to be without a phone) and would still be “half the price” of other operators’ ones.

The unlimited package will not be the only one available, said Mr Niel – packages will start with one at €2, with an hour of calls, that will be free to people who use Free for internet.

• Take care of unscrupulous people who may be trying to take advantage of the publicity surrounding the new service to launch phishing attacks (emails purporting to come from Free and seeking personal data). A member of Connexion’s staff received one today from the address: assistance@khmer2hand.com, which appears to be linked to a phone firm from Cambodia.