French telecoms giant scores CAR coup

Following the recent acquisition of mobile licenses in Guinea-Bissau and Guinea, France Telecom has announced that it has further strengthened its presence in Africa by acquiring a mobile and internet license in the Central African Republic.

Indeed, France Telecom has just signed an agreement with the Central African State for a mobile and Internet licence, with the commercial activities of Orange's new subsidiary in this country scheduled to start up before the end of the year.

This new presence in Central Africa represents a further breakthrough for the Orange brand in Africa and internationally. On the continent, Orange is already present in Botswana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali and Senegal, serving nearly 10 million customers in this region. France Telecom also has first-rate positions in Egypt, Jordan and Mauritius, with more than 13 million customers in these three countries.
 
Marc Rennard, Executive Director, International, Africa, Middle East and Asia, France Telecom says that the recent deployment of the Orange brand in Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, plus the acquisition of a new mobile license in the Central African Republic, means the company will be able “to contribute to the development of telecommunications infrastructures in the Central African Republic, while actively helping open up the country's interior".