A partnership covering LAN and WiFi network modernisation across stores,as well as the management of 4,600 sites in France
Wifirst, the leading managed telecom operator for multi-site businesses, has been selected by Carrefour to operate the local network (LAN and WiFi) of the brand in France. The partnership is structured around two complementary projects: the modernisation of the LAN and WiFi network across hypermarkets, supermarkets and cash & carry stores (Promocash) in 2026–2027, and the management of the entire existing estate (approximately 4,600 sites, stores and warehouses) from 27 April 2026.
A network in service of retail transformation
Carrefour is undergoing a profound transformation of its points of sale, where data is becoming the engine of every business function:
- Total staff mobility: Traditional work tools are being replaced by 100% smartphone solutions to guide employees in real time for order management, out-of-stock situations and shrinkage control.
- Shelf digitalisation: The point of sale is becoming intelligent through the deployment of geolocated rails, next-generation electronic shelf labels and AI cameras, optimising both merchandising and product availability.
- E-commerce growth: Stores are becoming true logistics hubs, with guided picking teams, product geolocation and LED systems to optimise collection, both on the shop floor and in e-commerce back rooms.
- Checkout modernisation: Whether for traditional checkout lanes or self-service kiosks, the infrastructure streamlines and secures transactions to reduce waiting times and deliver greater personalisation at the final step of the customer journey.
- The in-store customer app: The Carrefour mobile app supports customers throughout their in-store journey via self-scan, digital receipts and in-aisle product search.
The LAN and WiFi infrastructure operated by Wifirst has been designed to support these major transformations.
A comprehensive upgrade
The first phase of the partnership involves a complete overhaul of the LAN and WiFi network across Carrefour stores in France: 216 hypermarkets, 120 supermarkets and 123 cash & carry stores (Promocash).
Around one hundred sites will be migrated in 2026, with the remainder following in 2027.
This deployment goes far beyond a simple infrastructure refresh: it is a complete network redesign, built to meet all the operational needs of the stores:
- High-density dual coverage across all zones including back rooms, drive-through and car parks, guaranteeing connectivity throughout the entire store.
- Latest-generation Wi-Fi access points.
- High-speed free Wi-Fi, visible to customers in-store and integrated with the Carrefour customer app.
- Category 6 structured cabling, delivering significant improvements in performance, throughput and interference reduction. It supports 10 Gb/s over short distances and 1 Gb/s over 100 metres.
For each store, this involves several weeks of preparation, with cabling phases of up to four weeks in hypermarkets, multi-night migration work and post-migration monitoring. The objective is to reopen the store at its usual opening time, with no impact on customers or sales teams.
Managing the existing estate: 4,600 sites taken over
From 27 April 2026, Wifirst has taken over the management of Carrefour’s entire existing network estate in France: approximately 4,600 sites including hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash & carry stores, convenience stores and logistics warehouses.
Operational reliability is at the heart of the mission entrusted to Wifirst. In a Carrefour store, the network is not simply another piece of equipment — it is a critical system: checkouts, self-checkout terminals, scales, printers, CCTV… despite the redundancy systems in place, everything depends on this infrastructure.
To fulfil this commitment, Wifirst draws on its 24/7 managed services platform dedicated to retail, which monitors, operates, supports and continuously improves the networks of thousands of points of sale across Europe. This platform combines expert teams, processes proven at very large scale, and a suite of proprietary tools capable of managing heterogeneous, multi-vendor infrastructures at scale.
“Being selected by Carrefour to modernise the network of its stores and manage its entire French estate is a significant mark of trust. Beyond the scale — more than 4,600 sites — this partnership demonstrates our ability to operate critical infrastructure, in environments where even the slightest outage has a direct impact on commercial activity. This is precisely the Wifirst promise: a reliable network, monitored 24/7 and ready to support the demands of tomorrow.”
Marc Taieb, President of Wifirst
PRESS CONTACT
Wifirst – Sarah Battoue
+33 7 85 73 45 82
About Wifirst
For nearly 25 years, Wifirst has designed, deployed and operated intelligent networks worldwide for the most demanding environments (hospitality, logistics, defence, healthcare, retail, corporate real estate). As a leading operator-integrator, we do not simply provide connectivity. We establish Network Intelligence as the new technology standard. We transform network infrastructures into strategic assets capable of supporting operational performance, accelerating innovation and generating value. www.wifirst.com
