Orange Group has revealed the achievements – growth in mobile user-base, fiber broadband customers, 4G subscribers and 5G roll out plans – during the second quarter of 2019.
Orange has 62 million 4G customers, including nearly 20 million in Africa and the Middle East. Orange has enhanced its 4G coverage, with nearly 100 percent coverage of the populations in France, Belgium and Poland, and coverage of at least 97 percent in Spain, Romania and Moldova.

Orange’s Capex rose 5.5 percent to €3.5 billion in the first half. Orange made investment in high-speed fixed and mobile broadband, primarily in France and to a lesser degree in the countries of Africa & Middle East.

Orange spent towards Capex was 1.862 billion euros (+11.6 percent) in France, 529 million euros (–7.8 percent) in Spain, 407 million euros (9 percent) in Europe, 418 million euros (+4.4 percent) in Africa and Middle East and 197 million euros (+11.7 percent) in enterprise business.

Orange Money active customer base rose 6 percent compared to the previous quarter, to 16.5 million customers.

Orange connected 35.5 million households to very high-speed broadband, including increases in France (+31 percent), Spain (+13 percent) and Poland (+30 percent).

Orange has 10.6 million (+4.4 percent) convergent customers. Orange has 206.9 million (+3.3 million) mobile phone customers. Orange has 20.4 million (+209,000) fixed broadband customers.

Orange reported revenue of 10.388 billion euros (+0.5 percent). Orange generated revenue of  4.467 billion euros from France, 1.306 billion euros (–1.6) from Spain, 1.400 billion euros (+1.2 percent) from Europe, 1.388 billion euros (+5.8 percent) from Africa & Middle East, 1.940 billion euros (+0.7 percent) from Enterprise and 376 million euros (+0.7 percent) from International Carriers & Shared Services.

“We are getting ready for the arrival of 5G with tests being carried out with the initial mobile devices, in preparation for commercial launches next year,” Orange CEO Stephane Richard said in a statement.

Orange revenues were €20.6 billion in the first half. Orange generated revenues of €5.2 billion (+0.6 percent) from mobile-only services, €4.8 billion (–3.2 percent) from fixed-only services, €1.3 billion (+6.8 percent) from IT and integration services, and €3.9 billion (–0.8 percent) from wholesale in the first half of 2019.

Orange Group EBITDAaL was €6 billion (+0.8 percent) in the first half primarily due to the result of the operating efficiency plan. Orange reported operating income of €2.4 billion (+1.6 percent) with net income of €1.137 billion.

Baburajan K