Orange open to partnerships in mobile infrastructure, CEO

Orange is open to potential partnerships with European peers Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom over mobile infrastructure, its chief executive said on Thursday, after the French telecoms firm finalised the carving out of its masts company.

“Our plan isn’t to sell our towers to Cellnex or to American Tower,” CEO Stéphane Richard told reporters at a news conference, referring to two of the biggest tower companies.

“Our plan is to develop an alternative offer, created and managed by a (telecoms) operator and see if others down the road share our views,” he said, citing Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom as potential partners.

Richard said no formal talks were taking place with either Vodafone or Deutsche Telekom at the moment, but that it made sense for the two peers to consider this option after they carved out their own tower companies. Reuters