France
All the latest key telecoms and digital infra insight, news and analysis from France.
Financial & Performance
‘We want to be number one’: Orange plots growth over next three years
Orange’s CEO has unveiled the Group’s five-year strategy, called Trust the Future, setting clear objectives with a focus on driving cash flow generation.
Financial & Performance
Orange searches for €1bn down back of supply chain sofa
FY26–FY28 Trust the Future strategy: French group targeting substantial savings on vendor budget as part of new mid-term strategic vision. Move forms part of broader efficiency and cost reduction programme taking in AI, legacy network shutdown, and centralisation of platforms and services across Orange.
Partnerships & Alliances
Orange Business tees up ‘very ambitious’ SI venture with ‘global’ partner
Capital Markets Day: Orange Business CEO Aliette Mousnier-Lompré nods to negotiations with a global systems integrator partner to add reach, volume, and competitiveness to operations.
M&A
UK’s nexfibre goes big, gets Substantial
Deep dive: nexfibre’s planned takeover of Substantial Group, parent of infra rival Netomnia, is the UK’s first billion pound-plus fibre altnet transaction and may open the floodgates to long-anticipated consolidation in the fragmented, scale-hungry sector. Chief Executive Rajiv Datta speaks to TelcoTitans about how the deal boosts its challenge to incumbent Openreach on wholesale fibre.
Financial & Performance
Eutelsat draws back from ‘shaky’ GEO as LEO surges
Satco limits investment in geostationary satellites to service continuity and instead hedges future on further LEO growth via the OneWeb constellation. GEO business case considered “more and more shaky”, while LEO presents growth opportunity…
M&A
EC cites need for ‘European champions’ as merger guidelines review looms
In depth: Anticipation builds as first sighting of revised EU merger guidelines is slated for April, and telcos are busy lobbying for an M&A rule change…
M&A
Telefónica Chile becomes latest unit to go in Group’s Hispam exit
Group waves goodbye to Chilean operating business, as Millicom and Xavier Niel’s NJJ Holdings agree a joint takeover. Move means the Group has only two more markets to exit, to finish a long-running retreat from the Hispam region…
Suppliers & SCM
Orange Business ties with Cisco as it preps for quantum threats
Orange’s B2B division wants to ensure that its global networks are quantum-safe as soon as possible.
M&A
Eurofiber continues M&A spree with LuxNetwork buy
European B2B fibre and data centre services player takes over Luxembourg-based backbone operator, with 400G-ready network highlighted as means to strengthen its regional footprint. The buy is the latest in Eurofiber’s series of “opportunistic” acquisitions…
M&A
France’s Free attracts investor interest for potential tower carve-out — report
Iliad-owned telco reportedly exploring the creation of a 50:50 tower joint venture, with build-to-suit covering “several thousand” new towers. Cellnex and Phoenix Tower International among those said to have shown early interest…
M&A
France forbids sale of Eutelsat’s ‘strategic’ ground infra unit
Sovereignty-sensitive French government blocks proposed sale of passive ground infrastructure to EQT, citing need to maintain control over “strategic” comms assets. Eutelsat assures the decision will not impact its strategic expansion plans, although it has adjusted its short-term financial targets…