Orange has announced the launch of its wholly owned European TowerCo TOTEM.
TOTEM aims to become a leader on the European TowerCo market.As of the beginning of this month, its passive mobile infrastructure portfolio includes over 26,000 sites in France and Spain, the two largest countries where Orange is present. TOTEM France will manage 18,500 macro-sites with a mix of 58% tower sites, 30% flat roofs and 12% in other locations. Meanwhile, TOTEM Spain will manage 7,900 macro-sites, distributed equally between tower sites and flat roofs.
At launch, TOTEM has around 100 employees in France based in seven cities (Lille, Nantes, Toulouse, Marseille, Paris, Lyon, Donges), around 50 employees in Spain based in eight cities, and approximately twenty people working for TOTEM Group.
After France and Spain, TOTEM will consider the option of incorporating other European passive mobile infrastructure assets from the Orange group which could create value.
Commenting on the launch, Stéphane Richard, chairman and CEO of Orange, said: “TOTEM’s operational launch is an important milestone in our European infrastructure strategy. The creation of this entity will allow us to derive value from our passive mobile infrastructure, for which we have exceptional operational expertise. By opening up these assets to other operators, we will optimize its use. We are determined to support TOTEM on both a strategic and financial level, to make it an undisputed leader on the European market and to keep control of this strategic asset as part of a long-term industrial vision. By retaining control of our infrastructure, we have made a crucial decision for our future growth”.
Nicolas Roy, CEO of TOTEM Group, added: “Launched first in France and Spain, TOTEM has become a new player for regional development in Europe. TOTEM will create value for all stakeholders – operators, landlords and real estate players, regional authorities, companies -, thanks to its connectivity solutions and equipment sharing. TOTEM’s teams will rely on the excellence of its mobile infrastructure and a thorough understanding of its customers’ needs to develop connectivity services everywhere, in both rural and urban locations”.
