France Telecom’s subsidiary Sonatel has acted on behalf of its owner in making two recent acquisitions. In Guinea-Bissau France Telecom has obtained its third mobile telephony licence, and will operate as Orange Bissau. Commercial operations are set to begin in the very near future.

In Guinea Sonatel has bought Spacetel’s mobile licence, meaning that France Telecom continues its expansion into West Africa and can also renew the licence after 15 years if required.

Orange is an identity which has so far won ten million subscribers in the West African region. In turn it builds on existing customer bases in Botswana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, and Senegal.

Marc Rennard, International Executive Director for Africa, the Middle East and Asia with France Telecom, and Chairman of the Board of Sonatel, expressed the following optimistic comment: “In all its markets, France Telecom holds leading international positions. Today, with the extension of its operations in Guinea Bissau and Guinea, Orange continues to implement its growth strategy by entering high-potential markets. Present in Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Mali, and now in these two new markets thanks to Sonatel, Orange will be in a position to play a leading role throughout West Africa.”

* Sonatel is a Senegalese subsidiary of France Telecom, which maintains a 43% stake in it.

more info:

www.sonatel.sn

www.francetelecom.com