Mobile habits
While Free offer is very attractive, it won't fit all french users.
For a decade now, we've been used to this routine. You get a locked contract with a provider for 12 or 24 months in exchange for a cell phone at reduced cost (some customers made it a habit to get every new iPhone each year for under 100 bucks...Extra cost being paid in part on your monthly fee and part the provider itself).
I work on a customer helpdesk for the competition. Last week was a landslide of calls, roughly sixty percent asking for details about how to break their current contract, asking how to unlock their phone to use other SIM cards and such.
This week is another story. I had that specific case today of a woman that threatened for a lawsuit last week if she couldn't get rid of her contract and got it (stupid threat since it's her absolute legal right to break it any time). Today she called to cancel after reading the fine prints on Free offer. Most customers are now waiting for their regular providers to announce their commercial offers in response.
I love it, people "fought" to get cheaper cell phones in early 2000's and got it with standard contracts. Now they applaud a rollback then get angry to discover what it implies for them in the end.
I laugh, I don't care, I don't own a cell at all ^^
Biting the hand that feeds IT
