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France Telecommunications Report Q1 2011
Business Monitor International, Jan 2011, Pages: 101
France Telecommunications Report provides industry professionals and strategists, corporate analysts, telecommunication associations, government departments and regulatory bodies with independent forecasts and competitive intelligence on France's telecommunications industry.
With over 60,000 mobile phone subscribers in Q310, France’s mobile market continues to produce slow but steady growth. The fact that mobile penetration rates are still below 100% means that BMI calculates that growth will continue during across BMI’s newly-extended forecast period to 2015. France has a high proportion of postpaid mobile subscribers, and average revenues per user (ARPU) remain high –although they are starting to decline slightly. The market’s prospects are good, particularly as demand for data and other value added services (VAS) are increasing. The arrival of a fourth mobile phone operator, Free Mobile, which plans to launch its services in early 2012, should ensure that competition remains strong. Among mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), one new player is scheduled for launch during Q111, La Poste. The operator will join a crowded bottom end of the market; over a dozen MVNOs took just a 6% share of the national subscriber base in Q310.
During Q410, SFR announced that it will work with Nokia Siemens Networks to upgrade and expand SFR’s rural voice and data network - this network will be shared between the three major mobile operators and will enable the expansion of 3G services. In other network agreements, France’s telecoms regulator ARCEP announced a decision over the use of France Télécom’s ducts in Q410, establishing the prices that other operators are to be charged to deploy their fibre optic cables in these ducts. The move should make broadband expansion in isolated areas more cost effective.
Fixed-line and broadband subscriptions continue to be driven by offers of triple-play and quad-play packages. Of the latest offerings, SFR’s Neufbox Evolution set-top box (launched in Q410) aims to attract high-end users, a move which BMI believes should help continue to drive the market in both value and volume terms. ARCEP figures state that there were 20.4bn broadband subscriptions at the end of June 2010, up 8.9% y-o-y. The majority of these are via ADSL connections.
There have been numerous company developments over the past quarter, and more are expected during the course of 2011. Completel acquired its rival Altitude Telecom for an undisclosed sum in Q410, which will strengthen its position in the business market. Vivendi, the parent company of SFR, is keen to acquire Vodafone’s 44% stake in the operator, although in Q410 Vivendi’s CEO warned that the group would walk away if Vodafone’s asking price is too high. France Télécom, meanwhile, is turning its sights to its international business – it purchased a 40% share in Morocco’s Meditel in September 2010, and is reportedly interested in purchasing shares in Vietnam’s MobiFone. In its domestic market, France Télécom is seeking to find a partner for, or divest, its Orange Cinema and Orange Sport TV channels. The operator hopes to close both deals by early 2012.
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