Wifirst, Carrefour's new local network operator

A partnership to modernise in-store LAN and WiFi
and manage the network across 4,600 Carrefour sites in France

Wifirst, a specialist in managed telecom services for multi-site businesses, has been chosen by Carrefour to run its local networks (LAN and WiFi) in France. The partnership focuses on two key areas: upgrading the LAN and WiFi for hypermarkets, supermarkets, and cash-and-carry stores (Promocash) in 2026–2027, and operating the entire existing network—around 4,600 stores and warehouses—starting April 27, 2026.

A network at the heart of Carrefour's retail transformation

Carrefour is transforming its stores, with data now powering every key business function:

• Full employee mobility: Traditional tools are being replaced by 100% smartphone-based applications that guide employees in real time for order management, shelf out-of-stocks, and price changes.
• Digitalisation of the sales floor: Stores are becoming smarter with geolocated shelves, new-generation electronic shelf labels, and AI cameras to optimise merchandising and product availability.
• E-commerce growth: Stores are evolving into true logistics hubs, with picking teams guided along their routes, geolocated products, and LED systems to speed up order preparation on the shop floor and in e-commerce stockrooms.
• Modernisation of checkout: At both staffed and self-checkout lanes, the network secures and streamlines transactions to cut waiting times and enable more personalised end-of-journey experiences.
• In-store customer app: The Carrefour app supports customers throughout their visit with self-scanning, digital receipts, and on-shelf product search.

A Comprehensive Upgrade

The first phase of the partnership is a full redesign of Carrefour's LAN and WiFi in France, across 216 hypermarkets, 120 supermarkets, and 123 cash-and-carry stores (Promocash). Around 100 sites will be migrated in 2026, with the rest following in 2027.

This is not a simple upgrade, but a complete network renewal designed to support all store operations:

• Dual, high-density WiFi coverage in all areas—including stockrooms, drive-through lanes, and car parks—to ensure seamless connectivity across every store.
• Latest-generation WiFi access points.
• Free, high-speed WiFi for customers in store, fully integrated with the Carrefour app.
• A modern wired network delivering significantly higher performance, bandwidth, and reduced interference, with end-to-end certification to guarantee connection quality.

For each store, this means several weeks of preparation: cabling work that can take up to four weeks in hypermarkets, migration carried out over several nights, and post-migration monitoring. The objective is clear: open the store at the usual time, with no impact on customers or store teams.

Operating the existing network: 4,600 sites under management

From April 27, 2026, Wifirst will operate Carrefour's entire existing network infrastructure in France, covering around 4,600 sites: hypermarkets, supermarkets, cash-and-carry stores, neighborhood stores, and logistics warehouses.

The operational challenge is central to Wifirst's mission. In a Carrefour store, the network is not just another asset; it is a critical system. Checkouts, self-checkout kiosks, scales, printers, video surveillance—despite built-in redundancy, all of these depend on the network.

To deliver on this commitment, Wifirst relies on a 24/7 operations team dedicated to retail. They monitor, operate, support, and continuously improve the networks of thousands of retail sites across Europe every day, combining expert teams, processes proven on very large deployments, and proprietary tools capable of managing complex, multi-vendor infrastructures at scale.