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FRANCE TELECOM LAUNCHES OPERATIONS ON ARMENIAN MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS MARKET
Interfax
Nov 5 2009
Russia
FTA Telecom (Orange-Armenia, a division of Orange SA, a company in the
France Telecom group) began offering mobile communications services
on the Armenian market on Thursday, the head of France Telecom,
Didier Lombard, said at a press conference.
Armenia is the 31st country where Orange offers mobile services.
Moreover, 70,000 people in Armenia - potential subscribers - have
already registered their telephone numbers on the company's web site,
he said.
The company has already hired 300 employees and plans to open up a
retail network covering all of Armenia.
Orange has invested about $90 million to set up its network in Armenia,
Lombard said.
Orange expects to be the leader on the Armenian market, he said,
citing the company's frequent technology upgrades and quality service.
GSM services are currently provided in Armenia by Armentel, a 100%
subsidiary of Russian VimpelCom (RTS: VIMP) (under the Beeline brand)
and K-Telecom, in which Russian Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) (RTS: MTSS)
owns 80% of shares (VivaCell).
Orange was declared the winner in a tender to provide mobile
communications services in Armenia on October 7, 2008, offering 51.5
million euro for the license. Swedish M&A Tele2 AB bid 45.6 million
euro and British-Irish consortium CEO Blackrock Communications offered
31.6 million euro.
The winner must invest at least 200 million over the course of
15 years.
Armenia's commission on public services issued FTA Telecom the 15-
year license to operate a GSM network in November 2008.
Interfax
Nov 5 2009
Russia
FTA Telecom (Orange-Armenia, a division of Orange SA, a company in the
France Telecom group) began offering mobile communications services
on the Armenian market on Thursday, the head of France Telecom,
Didier Lombard, said at a press conference.
Armenia is the 31st country where Orange offers mobile services.
Moreover, 70,000 people in Armenia - potential subscribers - have
already registered their telephone numbers on the company's web site,
he said.
The company has already hired 300 employees and plans to open up a
retail network covering all of Armenia.
Orange has invested about $90 million to set up its network in Armenia,
Lombard said.
Orange expects to be the leader on the Armenian market, he said,
citing the company's frequent technology upgrades and quality service.
GSM services are currently provided in Armenia by Armentel, a 100%
subsidiary of Russian VimpelCom (RTS: VIMP) (under the Beeline brand)
and K-Telecom, in which Russian Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) (RTS: MTSS)
owns 80% of shares (VivaCell).
Orange was declared the winner in a tender to provide mobile
communications services in Armenia on October 7, 2008, offering 51.5
million euro for the license. Swedish M&A Tele2 AB bid 45.6 million
euro and British-Irish consortium CEO Blackrock Communications offered
31.6 million euro.
The winner must invest at least 200 million over the course of
15 years.
Armenia's commission on public services issued FTA Telecom the 15-
year license to operate a GSM network in November 2008.