Starlink has begun offering its beta service in France, adding another European market after the earlier openings in Germany and the U.K.
A contemporary account of the French availability email records the May 7 opening. The offer describes limited supply and an address-based order process, rather than immediate availability for every household.
The beta communication sets expectations of 50 to 150 Mbps downloads while warning that interruptions are possible as the network develops. Those are service expectations from the opening offer, not measured results from our own French installation.
For a rural property without a suitable fixed connection, the satellite link could be useful. It still needs a dish position with enough open sky, plus a comparison of the complete equipment and subscription cost with the local alternative.
Update: the original French frequency authorisation was annulled in April 2022. ARCEP records the annulment and the new authorisation issued on June 2. Those later regulatory events do not change the date of the original beta opening.
Our French installation directory covers the practical setup. Current eligibility and plans should be checked against the address where the terminal will be used.
