PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:
Orange has purchased from Eutelsat Communications (NYSE Euronext Paris: ETL) (Paris:ETL) all available capacity on the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite to cover the entire French territory. It will enable Orange’s consumer customer base, even those living in the most isolated areas, to benefit from very high-speed fixed broadband via satellite from January 2021.
The agreement comes against the backdrop the ‘Plan France Haut / Très Haut Débit’, adopted by the French government with the aim of rolling-out high-speed broadband of at least 30 mbps to the entire French territory by 2022.
The service will be distributed by Orange's Nordnet subsidiary, the leading French distributor of satellite Internet services since 2008, enabling it to offer unlimited very high-speed Internet access to individuals throughout France.
Commenting on the agreement, Michel Jumeau, Executive Vice President, Orange France, said: "The period of lockdown we have just experienced has demonstrated more than ever the need for connectivity throughout France. With this agreement with Eutelsat, Orange is proud to continue to fight against the digital divide by offering very high-speed fixed broadband throughout the country”.
Rodolphe Belmer, CEO of Eutelsat said: “We are pleased to reinforce and bring forward our collaboration with Orange to leverage our dedicated Connectivity capacity to deliver high speed internet to 100% of households in France. This agreement secures the ramp-up of our EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, and perfectly illustrates the complementarity between satellite and telecoms operators in ensuring ubiquitous coverage of the territory.”
The agreement will apply until the entry into service of the KONNECT VHTS very high-speed satellite, including a transition period during which the installed base will be gradually transferred to the new satellite.
Launched in January 2020, EUTELSAT KONNECT has total capacity of 75 Gbps and is able to assure full or partial coverage of up to 15 countries in Europe and 40 in Africa, offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps to both companies and individuals in the digital divide at competitive monthly rates.
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About Eutelsat Communications
Founded in 1977, Eutelsat Communications is one of the world's leading satellite operators. With a global fleet of satellites and associated ground infrastructure, Eutelsat enables clients across Video, Data, Government, Fixed and Mobile Broadband markets to communicate effectively to their customers, irrespective of their location. Over 7,000 television channels operated by leading media groups are broadcast by Eutelsat to one billion viewers equipped for DTH reception or connected to terrestrial networks. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat assembles 1,000 men and women from 46 countries who are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of service.
For more about Eutelsat go to www.eutelsat.com
About Orange
Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 42 billion euros in 2019 and 145,000 employees worldwide at 31 March 2020, including 85,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 253 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2020, including 208 million mobile customers and 21million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 26 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In December 2019, the Group presented its new "Engage 2025" strategic plan, which, guided by social and environmental accountability, aims to reinvent its operator model. While accelerating in growth areas and placing data and AI at the heart of its innovation model, the Group will be an attractive and responsible employer, adapted to emerging professions.
Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).
For more information on the internet and on your mobile: www.orange.com, www.orange-business.com or to follow us on Twitter: @presseorange and @orange.
Orange and any other Orange product or service names included in this material are trademarks of Orange or Orange Brand Services Limited.
