Orange signs partnership agreement with ATC France to support the accelerated deployment of its mobile network in non-dense areas

Orange, the leading mobile network operator in France, and ATC France, a subsidiary of American Tower Corporation and a leading player in telecoms hosting, have signed an agreement concerning the deployment of between 900 and 2,000 new mobile network sites located mainly in rural areas and along transport routes over the period 2020-2024.

Demand for mobile network infrastructure is showing strong growth, driven both by the additional coverage commitments made by telecoms operators as enshrined in the New Deal in France and by the need to increase the density of their networks.

The quality of the mobile network and coverage are among the major commitments made by Orange in France, commitments acknowledged by the French regulator, Arcep, which recently ranked the operator as number one for the ninth year in a row. Orange currently has 25,000 mobile radio sites, including 17,000 on fully-owned infrastructure.

Orange and ATC France, a specialist in the management and marketing of network infrastructure, have been working together since 2012 for the deployment and operation of mobile network infrastructure and have thus further reinforced that existing partnership. This agreement makes it possible for ATC France and Orange to pool their expertise for the benefit of their customers and to improve network coverage in France.

The contract with ATC France will enable Orange to support the accelerated deployment of its mobile network and increase the density of its coverage. It will achieve this while allowing Orange to maintain its expertise in the design and construction of network infrastructure and ensuring that the Group retains the necessary mid-term investment capacity to consolidate its leadership across the entire network.

A 20-year hosting service agreement between the two partners means that Orange will benefit from the excellence of ATC France’s management and marketing services for mobile network infrastructure and will therefore ensure that the quality of its services across the country will be maintained.

ATC France hosts nearly 5,500 operator contracts across the totality of its sites in operation. Strengthening its partnership with Orange is fully in line with its infrastructure development strategy for its customers and will support the deployment of digital services across the country.

Fabienne Dulac, Deputy CEO of the Orange Group and CEO of Orange France, said: “The nationwide deployment of the network, particularly in rural areas, is a priority for Orange.  We are delighted to be able to enter into this agreement with ATC France, which has proven expertise in terms of infrastructure management. This partnership will enable us to accelerate deployment in these key areas while retaining our capacity for differentiation and our ability to invest in the networks, whether they are fixed or mobile.”

According to Julian Plumstead, CEO Europe at ATC: “We are very happy to have signed this agreement with Orange, France’s leading mobile operator, building on an already strong nationwide partnership. This agreement will help reinforce our infrastructure in France and will strengthen the ties and the synergies between our two groups over the long term.”

The financial details of the agreement remain confidential.

Through its subsidiary ATC France, American Tower Corporation intends to make wireless communications possible everywhere in France and to play a major role in mobile coverage for all regions. ATC France currently manages more than 4,000 rooftop and pylon addresses and hosts nearly 5,500 customer contracts across more than 2,500 sites in operation.
For more information: www.atcfrance.fr or to follow us on Twitter: @atc_france

About Orange

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 41 billion euros in 2018 and 148,000 employees worldwide at 30 September 2019, including 88,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 268 million customers worldwide at 30 September 2019, including 209 million mobile customers and 21million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 27 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan “Essentials2020” which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).

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