Orange strikes FTTH partnership with Bouygues Telecom

Orange/France Télécom has struck a partnership with Bouygues Telecom to share fibre infrastructure in densely populated areas in France.

The pair will share infrastructure up to apartment buildings, allowing Bouygues to benefit from Orange’s existing deployment of fibre. Within buildings, Bouygues will need to build its own infrastructure or share existing cable infrastructure. The partnership potentially covers 1.7 million homes.

In less densely populated areas, Bouygues will subscribe to Orange’s FTTH wholesale offering, allowing it to access a further 8.9 million homes. The deal follows similar agreements struck between Orange and Free and SFR last year.

Orange plans to deliver fibre to about 60% of French households by 2020.