Agence Nationale des Fréquences

What Agence Nationale des Fréquences does

Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR) is a French government administrative agency (établissement public de l'État à caractère administratif) established in 1997 under the minister responsible for electronic communications, holding a statutory monopoly on radio frequency spectrum management in France under Article L.43 of the French Postal and Electronic Communications Code. It allocates frequencies, coordinates spectrum use (including at the international level via the ITU and at borders), monitors compliance with electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure limits, runs a national network of COFRAC-accredited laboratories for citizen measurements and SAR compliance testing, and broadcasts the French legal time signal from the Allouis site on 162 kHz (synchronizing over 200,000 clocks via the Paris Observatory time base).

The agency's operations rest on a national monitoring infrastructure that would be uneconomic to replicate: 25 static UHF/VHF direction-finding stations, 4 transportable direction finders, 8 TDOA hyperbolic radio-location receivers up to 8 GHz, 22 transportable measurement stations, HF monitoring at the 30-hectare Rambouillet International Control Centre, and 5 interregional services covering mainland France plus overseas antennas. Its digital product surface includes Cartoradio (antenna and EMF mapping on IGN's Géoportail), data.anfr.fr (open data portal with SAR measurement records since 2012), Recevoirlatnt.fr (DTT reception assistance), Scan Fréquences (PMSE UHF coordination), Test & Tagging (event radio conformity), Blockchain des Fréquences (PMSE booking on a distributed ledger), the Observatoire des Réseaux Mobiles (monthly network coverage statistics), and 5g.anfr.fr (5G deployment information).

ANFR is wholly state-funded through the French budget allocated by the ministry responsible for electronic communications; it is not commercially structured and has no venture or private ownership. Customer "segments" include mobile operators (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free), telecommunications and satellite operators, the Ministry of the Interior and Armed Forces, the Civil Aviation Directorate, ports and maritime administration, audiovisual professionals (PMSE), radio amateurs, and the general French public for free EMF measurement and DTT interference resolution. Minor ancillary revenue is collected via satellite frequency authorization fees (€20,000 deposit plus per-decree fees). The director general and legal representative is Gilles Brégant.

Name

Agence Nationale des Fréquences

Legal name

Agence nationale des fréquences (ANFR)

Website

https://anfr.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Agence Nationale des Fréquences (ANFR) is France's statutory government agency managing all radio frequencies — handling spectrum allocation, EMF exposure control, SAR compliance testing, DTT reception protection, and legal time broadcasting — serving mobile operators, government ministries, satellite operators, audiovisual professionals and the general public.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radio Spectrum Management and Regulation

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Satellite Telecommunications (5174)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Radiotelephone Communications (4812)

akta.pro primary industry

Communications, Media & Spectrum Regulators (BPAIAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Broadcast Transmission & Operations Services (Transmitters, Towers, Playout, Engineering) (MPAIAEAJ), Satellite Video & Media Distribution (DTH, Contribution/Distribution, Occasional Use) (HDAIAJAG)

Keywords

• Radio spectrum management
• Frequency assignment services
• Electromagnetic field monitoring
• Satellite frequency coordination
• Telecommunications regulation

Headquarters

HQ city

Maisons-alfort

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: ANFR is a French government administrative establishment (établissement public de l'État à caractère administratif) funded by the state budget. Operations are financed through public funds allocated by the Ministry responsible for electronic communications.
2. Satellite Frequency Authorization Fees: Fees collected for processing satellite system frequency assignment applications. Applicants must pay a deposit of 20,000 euros. Additional fees include state fee for frequency availability and management fees per decree 2007-1532.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ANFR manages all radio frequencies in France on behalf of the state, providing spectrum planning, frequency assignment, and coordination services for telecom operators, broadcasters, satellite operators, and government entities. It operates national monitoring infrastructure to detect and resolve interference, conducts electromagnetic field exposure measurements for the public, authorizes PMSE audio equipment for events, and broadcasts the French legal time signal. The agency enforces electromagnetic exposure limits and maintains public databases including Cartoradio for antenna mapping and data.anfr.fr for open spectrum data.

Product overview

ANFR is a French government agency managing all radio frequencies in France. Its product portfolio centers on spectrum monitoring, public exposure control, and radio equipment oversight. Core offerings include Cartoradio (mapping tool for antenna locations and field measurements), data.anfr.fr (open data portal), Recevoirlatnt.fr (DTT reception assistance), and thematic tools like Scan Fréquences (PMSE frequency coordination), Test & Tagging (equipment conformity checking for events), and Blockchain des Fréquences (automatic frequency booking). ANFR also provides the 5G thematic site, monthly mobile network observatory, satellite frequency authorization services, and the Le Signal Horaire (legal time signal broadcast). ANFR operates measurement request services via accredited laboratories and maintains observatories for mobile networks, radio amateurs, and maritime radio. Support services include a startup guide for satellite projects, hackathon platform, and conference platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cartoradio: Mapping tool showing relay antennas and electromagnetic field measurements
• Scan Fréquences
• Test & Tagging
• Blockchain des Fréquences
• Observatoire des réseaux mobiles

Products and services

• Cartoradio

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200,000 clocks synchronized with legal time signal across France
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IGN (Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière)coreTechnology or IntegrationANFR's Cartoradio platform uses IGN's Géoportail tool as the mapping backbone for displaying radio station locations and electromagnetic field measurements on interactive maps.
• COFRAC (Comité Français d'Accréditation)coreTechnology or IntegrationANFR's measurement laboratories and external measurement providers must be accredited by COFRAC under ISO 17025 requirements, ensuring reliability and repeatability of electromagnetic field measurements.
• ITU (International Telecommunication Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFR forwards satellite frequency assignment applications to ITU, participates in World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC), and coordinates international spectrum use through ITU procedures including SpaceCap and SpaceVal software.
• ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques, des Postes et de la Distribution de la Presse)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARCEP is the regulatory authority for electronic communications. ANFR works with ARCEP on frequency assignments, PMR licensing, PMSE regulations, and interference resolution. ARCEP issues individual authorizations for frequency use.
• ANSES (Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFR focuses on technical exposure measurement while ANSES handles health risk assessment. ANFR enforces exposure thresholds set based on ANSES scientific recommendations.
• Paris ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParis Observatory establishes the local value of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) and provides the time base for the legal time signal broadcast by ANFR.
• LNE (Laboratoire National d'Essais)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLNE cooperates with Paris Observatory to provide the time base for the legal time signal that ANFR broadcasts via terrestrial radio.
• TDF (Terrance Diffusion France)coreOthersTDF operates the Allouis broadcasting site in Cher département, transmitting the legal time signal on behalf of ANFR using 162 kHz amplitude modulation compatible with the NF C 90-002 standard.
• Mobile Operators (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free)coreOthersMobile operators finance solutions for DTT reception interference caused by 4G/5G deployment in 700/800MHz bands, and work with ANFR on the assistance and intervention system for affected viewers.
• EUTELSAT IGO (European Telecommunications Satellite Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFR processes satellite frequency assignments on behalf of EUTELSAT IGO as one of three intergovernmental organizations it represents before ITU.
• Arcom (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFR collaborates with Arcom on digital terrestrial television (DTT) reception protection, ensuring proper signal reception via rooftop aerials under Article 22 of the Freedom of Communication Act.
• Atol Conseils et DéveloppementsminorOthersPrivate company responsible for website development and maintenance of anfr.fr, based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte-d'Or.
• OVHminorOthersFrench cloud hosting provider managing the web hosting for ANFR's internet domain.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ofcom: UK's converged regulator for communications, including radio spectrum management. Directly comparable as a national spectrum authority overseeing broadcasting, mobile, satellite, and EMF exposure with measurement infrastructure.
• Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA): Germany's federal regulator responsible for spectrum management, broadcasting oversight, and EMF compliance. Closely mirrors ANFR's mandate across mobile, satellite, PMSE, and EMF measurement functions.
• ANACOM: Portugal's national communications authority, including spectrum management. Comparable in scope and scale to ANFR, with a similar European regulatory model covering mobile, broadcasting, and EMF.
• AGCOM (Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni): Italy's converged communications and spectrum regulator. Comparable in mandate covering spectrum assignment, broadcasting oversight, and EMF exposure monitoring.
• CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia): Spain's national regulator with spectrum and audiovisual oversight responsibilities. Comparable in scope to ANFR, particularly in managing mobile, broadcasting, and satellite frequencies.
• PTS (Post- och telestyrelsen): Sweden's regulator for electronic communications and spectrum. Comparable as a national spectrum management authority with similar responsibilities in EMF exposure monitoring and frequency coordination.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC): US national regulator for communications and spectrum, significantly larger and broader in scope. Comparable in core spectrum management functions but operates at much greater scale and with a different legislative framework.

Others

• ARCEP: France's regulatory authority for electronic communications. Closely intertwined with ANFR—it issues individual frequency authorizations while ANFR handles spectrum planning, monitoring, and EMF measurement.
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU): UN specialized agency for global telecommunications. ANFR forwards satellite frequency assignments to ITU and participates in WRCs, making ITU the international counterpart for ANFR's coordination work.
• RSPG (Radio Spectrum Policy Group): EU advisory body on spectrum policy. Operates at the policy-strategy layer above national regulators like ANFR, shaping European spectrum harmonization that ANFR implements domestically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3o0EKwQMNKBvu04U_nlXNQ
• Xx.com/anfr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Agence Nationale des Fréquences