Orange looks to fixed line consolidation in Spain

Stéphane Richard

Orange will look to take an active part in any consolidation in the Spanish fixed line market, according to CEO Stéphane Richard.

Answering a question on the analyst conference call following Orange’s full-year results presentation, Richard said Orange had “a competitive offer” in Spain, including in fixed-access, with a market share in broadband of about 15%, making it the second player in the market. He said Orange would look at opportunities for fixed line consolidation in an “opportunistic way” and that it will focus in taking a consolidator role in the market.

“Now, of course, we pay a lot of attention to the Spanish situation. We know that there are some rumours or interest around the specialty cable players. We will see in a very opportunistic way what’s going on. Everyone knows that there could be some combination in this market that makes sense in terms of going faster and forward to the convergence between Orange and a player in the fixed market,” he said.

“But there is nothing in the agenda – even though clearly for us, Spain is, apart France, probably the key market in Europe where we will try to really focus our resources to play the consolidation.”