The launch of 4G is taking place in an intensely competitive context, in a market shaken by the arrival of a fourth mobile operator which has broken the price model and created a crisis of confidence among the incumbents. The launch of 4G has provided an opportunity for operators to enhance their deals and regain the initiative in the field of technological leadership.

All operators have invested heavily in publicizing the deployment of their 4th generation mobile network, highlighting the theoretical and quantitative benefits in terms of performance (coverage, speed etc.), but without bringing consumers into the world of this new technology.

What is more, ARCEP - the telecom regulator - has allowed Bouygues Telecom to convert its old 2G frequencies to 4G; this means that this operator can deploy its 4G network at a lower cost and, above all, it can offer national coverage from its launch in October 2013. It was therefore important for SFR to get a step ahead in the 4G field, but especially to adopt a position that differentiates it from the competition.

With SFR, we have opted for a customer-centred approach to show consumers the key daily benefits of 4G.

The web platform provided the opportunity to take remote control of a telephone installed in a studio with 4G coverage.

A touch robot was tasked with operating the telephone and executing the actions ordered remotely by web users. The whole event was filmed and streamed.

The interface allowed users to make custom commands from among the most common actions on the mobile web (route search, video display, speed test etc.) to assess the speed and ease of use provided by 4G.

The 360° device had a significant impact around the event:

• The concert was seen live by more than 5,000 people

• with another 700,000 streaming it live online

• The public interacted with our robots more than 1,000,000 times on the web platform and discovered the power of the SFR 4G network

• Even the Mayor of Paris and the Minister of the digital economy tested the '4G Robot' experience

• The project received a lot of media attention and was featured in articles and stories all over France.

Thanks to our robots, 4G finally got the French welcome it deserved.