Free Mobile has recruited 2.6 million customers

 

In the wake of its entry in the booming mobile market, Free Mobile revealed it had won 2.6 million customers in late March, while Orange was losing 615,000, 620,000 SFR and 89,000 MVNOs. "Never an operator has won as many customers in as little time," said Xavier Niel, founder and owner of Free.

The small sign operator and a great commercial success and won the bet he had set himself. Indeed, he won 4% market share on the mobile in 80 days. Its goal is eventually to have 25% market share.

Satisfaction is complete for Xavier Niel, especially as Free has received the "halo of mobile" on its activities as a fixed, where it now exceeds 5 million subscribers: he recorded a 50% market share recruitment broadband in the first quarter of 2012 and its activity is fixed in 9.8% growth over the quarter. Leaves to change operator in the mobile, and to benefit from even better prices, some customers were quick to switch their internet subscription and exchange their old box against a Freebox.

Impact difficult to quantify

Remains now is whether this success will continue over time, while competitors such as Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Virgin argue that the bleeding has stopped customers since mid-March and they recover even customers parties at Free.

Free, which shows a quarterly revenue up 29% to 656 million euros, did not give the average revenue per user (ARPU), a key figure in the telecoms field. He simply said that customers were divided "balanced" between the subscribers of a subscription to two euros and those who opted for a more profitable subscription to 19.99 euros a month.  

Therefore difficult to measure the impact of the launch of Free Mobile on the margins of the operator. "The quality of the distribution of offers within the mobile subscriber base is evidence of a sustainable business model and economics," Free said simply. In sales, the mobile has generated 97.5 million euros, of which 11.5 million euros from the sale of terminals and 86 million for the telecom services business. The set weighs about him almost 560 million euros.

Courbet: "I am underemployed"

 

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Patterns: that is serene, which is on the hot seat

• Pepy, "pope" of the rail?

Appointed in 2008 as head of the SNCF which he was number two, Guillaume Pepy has since opening figure of ultimate boss of office of Nicolas Sarkozy. The former chief of staff of Martine Aubry has nothing to fear from the change of head of state. And, except to be appointed to another position, it should not only complete his term as CEO of SNCF, scheduled until February 2013, but re-enlist at the head of a company where he spent most of his career and he seems happy to embody.

Everything will depend on the host that the Government will make available to the rail reform projects driven by Guillaume Pepy well in advance of the election. It was he who suggested to his minister, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, to open a "Grenelle of the rail," a broad debate that ended this winter.

The head of the SNCF has two great ideas in mind overnight pay day loans. The first involves a major reorganization of the French rail, bringing Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), the manager of the railway network in the lap of the SNCF. Objective: To terminate an organization considered grotesque and expensive. But neither competitors nor RFF of SNCF do not hear it that way. The battle will be fierce between Guillaume Pepy and Hubert du Mesnil, the boss of RFF.

Second site, sensitivity: the creation of a "social framework harmonized" for SNCF workers and new entrants on the French market being opened to competition. Beyond this global negotiation, Guillaume Pepy wants to get the right to hire out the status of a railway station. One way of playing field with its powerful rival, Deutsche Bahn.

• Proglio frontline

Proglio. Photo credits: ALBERT FACELLY / Le Figaro

U.S.: GDP disappoints consumption reassures

 

From our correspondent in the United States flexes growth in the United States. After a fourth quarter where expansion had reached 3% annual rate, that as the economy slows to 2, 2%. This is slightly less than expected.

A decline in business investment of 2.1% is largely responsible for this disappointing performance moderately. However consumption, traditional locomotive of the U.S. economy, climbed 2, 9%, against 2, only 1% at the end of last year. This is encouraging. And especially since U.S. households saw their moral improvement in April to its highest level since February 2011. Households are optimistic about economic recovery, although they are less confident when it comes to their personal financial situation?

The acceleration of consumption can not only offset the decline in investment, but it also helps to overcome the slowdown in inventory rebuilding. From January to March, rising stocks is liable only for 0, 5% growth yoy.

During the previous period, the increase in inventories was represented more than half of the increase in gross domestic product (GDP). From this perspective, growth in the first quarter seems healthier than October to December, although it is more modest bad credit personal loan lenders.

Decline in military spending

A third unexpected factor slowed the U.S. economy: the decline in military spending. It explains the drop in 5, 6% annual rate of all federal spending, while states and communities continue their part to save money.

"The key factor explaining the worse than expected performance of the economy, the decline is much sharper than expected public expenditure … But that does not reflect at all the health of the economy. It is certainly disappointing that business investment has declined, but this may be temporary, "said Mark Zandi, chief economist with Moody's Analytics.

Figures released by the Commerce Department does not seem to alter the waiting position of the Federal Reserve, which plans to leave interest rates to the floor until the end of 2014 .. In reviewing a slight increase to almost 3% growth forecast for the current year, it implicitly rejected for the moment to launch a third round of quantitative easing, ie net purchases of Treasury securities in order to drive down long rates.

Unemployment: Brussels launches stir

 

European capitals have asked the Commission to bone up on the fight against unemployment, but many probably not appreciate his advice: the lowering of wage costs to the free movement of labor across the EU through a minimum wage "modular", Brussels risk of setting fire to the powder to the left and right.

The document, which will be released Wednesday, could also ignite the French debate around employment and Europe, with five days of the first round of presidential elections. As Nicolas Sarkozy, Brussels appears for a lower wage cost burden on businesses. It is a "privileged instrument to strengthen the labor supply," says the latest version of the text obtained by Le Figaro. The Commission suggests alternative resources as VAT, taxes "green" and property taxes.

Another proposal leading risks in contrast to spark outcry among conservatives, echoing an old controversy about the "Polish plumber". This is to overcome the final obstacles to a single labor market in Europe, the U.S. model. "Labour mobility is not sufficient in the EU (…) In order to exploit all the possibilities, it is crucial to ensure a balance between demand and supply of jobs" at European level , the authors note.

Red cloth

On this front, the Commission advances two tracks dangerously undermined. The first is the end of restrictions on employment of Romanians and Bulgarians, programmed by treaty by the end of 2013 but refused by nine countries, including France. The second is the opening of national public employment to all EU nationals, except as validated by the sovereignty of Justice high risk personal loans.

Finally, Brussels waving a red rag in front of the entire European left: that of a national minimum wage that could be differentiated by industry professional, provides a way she, "to support the provision of employment ". The authors do not specify the model. But they ensure that wage floors should be discussed "in consultation with unions and depending on economic developments."

The contribution of the Commission is only prospective. It is unlikely that the communication "Towards an employment-intensive growth 'lead in the state. But it looks quite controversial for the twenty-seven Commissioners wish to review it one last time with the college in full force Wednesday in Strasbourg. Against the backdrop of elections in France and Greece, José Manuel Barroso will leave the public presentation in Hungarian Laszlo Andor, Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs.

For Brussels, it is clear that the challenge of unemployment requires bold solutions. Lagging behind the emerging powers but also the U.S., the EU has lost 4.5 million net new jobs since 2008. Since January, a second recession in three years has increased the average unemployment rate above 10%. And restarted at the same time a growth debate that nobody has yet really convincing answer

.

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China's growth at its lowest for three years

 

China's growth slowed in the first quarter to 8.1%, year on year, confirming the end of the runaway Chinese engine. The Middle Kingdom and shows its lowest growth rate in three years. The country is hit by falling exports due to the debt crisis in Europe.

The gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 8.9% in the last quarter of 2011. Figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday, expected to bolster the central government in its choices. In March, Chinese Premier set the objective of growth of 7.5% in 2012, advocating a rebalancing of GDP, still driven by exports and investment in favor of domestic demand. Consumption is doing well: the pace of retail sales accelerated to 15.2% for the month of March. Industrial production grew, meanwhile, 11.9%.  

The World Bank expects a soft landing for the Chinese economy, she sees grow 8.2% this year and 8.6% in 2013. But Beijing remains cautious about the risk of an abrupt slowdown of the economy too. The Government therefore continues to ease monetary policy. Last month, the volume of bank lending surged to $ 160.1 billion, their highest level in over a year.

Inflation, although more moderate than last year, remains under surveillance. The index of consumer prices rose 3.6% last month. Political leaders, fearing that soaring prices will feed social discontent, should continue to ensure that it is controlled.

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Customers Free forgive "errors of youth"

 

Free Mobile customers retain a large majority, confident in their new operator. This is what spring launched a call for evidence on lefigaro.fr, which raised last week over 500 comments.

Two major trends. There are those for which the passage went smoothly and that no difficulty to make calls. "In Grenoble, it captures nickel without using the Orange network," says Andrei. "In some places, the coverage SFR does not allow me to capture correctly and to Free, in the same places, I get the network" welcomes Jules.

"Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell"

Then there are those, more numerous, who see recurrent problems call for the evening, as well as cuts. "Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell for making a call. It always fails on "network busy" and you have to try again twenty times to make a call, "says Emily. "Since March 5, the flow of Free Mobile 3G has enormously weakened and is very unstable", complete a resident of Lille.

Yet these customers often forgive the "teething problems" Free Mobile. "When I chose to come to Free, I knew there would be concerns, but I trust the professionalism of Free to solve these problems quickly," says Guy, Internet subscriber for ten years at Free. "At that price, I agree to some problems of network", abounds Paulo, who has spent her entire family at Free Mobile. Anthony, He remembers the difficulties encountered by the first mobile operators. "I suppose we must give some time to Free to upgrade," he considers.

Other customers are less forgiving. "I regret that I spent at Free! Customer service is saturated with calls. This is not a serious operator who was obviously not prepared enough to get into the mobile, "says Vince. "I just changed to B & You (the low-cost brand of Bouygues Telecom, Ed). There's no commitment so, who knows, I may come back when they are at Free at the point, "says Jordan.

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Presidential: spending cuts in sham

 

So far, Francois Hollande was very talkative on controlling public spending. To prove his seriousness in budgetary matters, the PS argued the EUR 49 billion of tax increases planned – both graded increases to fund new measures and to reduce the public deficit to 3% in 2013. Change in tone Thursday on France 2. The Socialist candidate was more explicit result: the return to balance accounts in 2017 will also "by 50 billion savings on public spending," he said, highlighting a point that appears from the origin, but discreetly, in its program.

In fact, in a country where public expenditure accounts for 56.6% of GDP, while fiscal consolidation achieved through an action on the charges. Except as we stay in France. Unlike the choices made in the UK and measures imposed in Portugal or Greece, or Francois Hollande nor Nicolas Sarkozy proposed to actually reduce government spending, that is to say, the return of 100 euros a year to 95 next year. The two main candidates simply promise to slow the rise.

From 1978 to 2008, public spending grew on average by 2.6% per year, plus inflation. "We will limit their increases to 1% per year," said Francois Hollande. Right, this government promised in Brussels an increase of 0.4% per year until 2016. Then where are the savings put forward by both sides? This is actually a smaller increase in expenses, compared to their natural tendency (which is explained by the increase in salaries of civil servants, the increase in health spending, the rising number of retirees, etc.. ). This is supposed to be parallel to that of GDP. Example project with Holland. Without special measures, the approximately 1 trillion of government spending should increase as the national wealth (1.7% per year initially, 2.25% at the end, according to forecasts of the candidate). An average increase of about 2% per year during the future five-year-around 20 billion euros each year free credit report and score. The PS wants to limit their growth to 1% per year. The economy compared to the natural drift is 10 billion per year and $ 50 billion in the five year term. The weight of public expenditure in GDP would decline to 53.9% while in 2017 the government is 52.8% in 2016. In both cases, the action will inevitably unpopular.

Divisive options

Social benefits-health costs, pensions, family allowances or unemployment … – indeed absorb 45% of public expenditure. Just to bring growth in public spending to 0.7% in 2011, the current government had to reform pensions, act on Medicare and not to replace staff on two retiring.

Thursday, Francois Hollande suggested avenues for savings: lower prices and consumption of drugs, focus on health prevention, cuts in aid to enterprises, decentralization. Displaying its objective of stabilizing the size of the public, he admitted that there would be job cuts in all departments except Education, Justice and Home Affairs. "The salary policy will be serious," said Michel Sapin, program officer of the applicant, being careful not to promise any pay rise. And state transfers to local (one hundred billion a year) "will not progress." Not to mention that if economic growth is not at the rendezvous, the scheme collapses. Michel Sapin no plans yet not to intensify efforts in this case: "A real spending cuts could destabilize the economy," he retorts.

Advocating a greater effort, Nicolas Sarkozy announced the continuation of "one in two." The UMP also wants to cut $ 2 billion per year transfers to communities. Magnitude of the cuts, selected sectors: these options are politically divisive. But in a camp like in the other, the information disclosed so far are not enough.

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Sarkozy addresses the tax exiles

 

After struggling against tax havens in recent years, Nicolas Sarkozy wants to tackle the tax exile. -Candidate for President, it is not acceptable that some continue to enjoy the benefits of French citizenship without paying a penny in taxes. "I want the tax and nationality are now linked," he said on TF1 Monday. The announcement is accurate. "Any tax exile who went abroad for the sole purpose of circumventing French tax must declare to the French administration as he paid tax abroad. And if it is lower than it would have paid tax on income from capital in France, he will pay the difference, "said Nicolas Sarkozy.

Only the taxation of wealth is concerned. But it is precisely to escape the ISF or the taxation of capital gains that some taxpayers go to Switzerland or Belgium. With this measure, the tax exile would have no financial interest. And if the tax exile showed himself recalcitrant? "If he does not pay, he is pursued by the taxman. However, if he wants to escape measurement, it is of course free to take another nationality, "said Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet Monday, the spokesman of the president candidate. There is no question of deprivation of nationality. This type of penalty is very heavy and could be incompatible with European law.

The 2 million French expatriates, those who move abroad for work or for family reasons, for example, would not be affected by the measure. "I say to expatriates, we will change nothing for them," said Nicolas Sarkozy. They therefore continue to pay tax only in the country where they live. French household working in Germany would pay, as now, the German income tax. Yet to translate into law the difference between the expatriate and exiled, leaving the Hexagon for purely fiscal.

Monday, Nicolas Sarkozy referred to the American system. Indeed, the U.S. tax bind and nationality, even more extensive than would be France if Nicolas Sarkozy was elected. For all American expatriates should pay taxes to their homeland! But the U.S. is an exception in developed countries. European states like France operate on the principle of territoriality – you pay tax where you live. This means that the measure proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy, even if limited to exiles, may involve review of the tax treaties signed between France and its partners. A very heavy work. This is also the argument that had been opposed to the president of the PS Finance Committee in the Assembly, Jerome Cahuzac, late 2010 when he proposed a tax on expatriates. It will also calibrate the measure to be compatible with European law which advocates the free movement of persons and equality before tax.

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How can a caravan

Caravan: a specific contract?

According to French law, any insurance or any caravan trailer is mandatory. Also, if an insured decides to tow a caravan with his vehicle, he must notify his insurance company. If the total weight to load (GVW) of the caravan is less than 750 kg, it is on auto insurance of the towing vehicle. However, if the total weight to load (GVW) of the trailer exceeds 750 kg, it must have a specific insurance policy.

The insurance contract specifically the trailer can be purchased from an insurance company specializing. However, to enjoy a good quality / price ratio, it is advisable to use the same insurance company ensuring that the towing vehicle.

Namely: if the trailer weight exceeds a total load (GVW) of 500 kg, it must have its own logbook. This must be forwarded to the insurance company.

Consider the use made of the caravan

Whether stationary or towed, the trailer must receive liability coverage to cover damage to third parties. If it is a permanent home, it becomes necessary to take out specific insurance.

The duration of the insurance can be modulated according to the frequency of use of the caravan cash advance payday loan. If it is possible to ensure a caravan all year, it is also possible to insure a timely manner, for example, only the holidays.

Purchase additional coverage

If liability coverage is mandatory for a caravan, it is also possible, such as auto insurance, take out specific safeguards. Thus, the accidental damage warranty can cover the repair of the trailer in an accident. The guarantee can cover theft theft but also the attempted theft of the caravan and its contents. The compensation is brought in only if the insured is able to provide physical evidence of the loss.

The warranty fire and explosion can cover fire outside or inside. This warranty also covers the damage done by lightning.

Note: If a specific development is carried out in the caravan, it is best to notify the insurance company (especially when planning costly).

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