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Orange Côte d'Ivoire expands fibre optic network interests

Orange Côte d'Ivoire expands fibre optic network interests

Orange Côte d'Ivoire has raised FCFA70-billion (approximately US$120-million) in credit to bolster its local fibre optic network interests.

The credit arrangement is for a period of five years and to secure the facility, the operator partnered with several banks including Banque Internationale pour le Commerce et l'Industrie de la Cote d'Ivoire (BICICI), Societe Generale Ivory Coast, Société Ivoirienne de Banque, NSIA Bank and CITIBANK.

Mamadou Bamba, Managing Director of Orange Côte d'Ivoire, said, "This contribution of all reflects a strong desire to support and boost the Ivorian private sector and therefore the development of the economic fabric of our dear country."

Bamba described the funding as part of the FCFA180 billion that the company plans to invest in its operations to improve its network and provide new services in the country.

Yao Kouassi, General Manager of BICICI, added, "... (the) BICICI confirms its ability to offer tailor-made services to its clients, in particular the multinationals with whom it identifies itself as a privileged partner."

The French telecommunications firm has also strengthened its exisiting industry alliance with pan-African datacentre services and connectivity provider MainOne to land a submarine cable at Grand-Bassam in the south of the country.

Spanning 7000 km, the cable has the capacity to provide an average speed of 1.96 terabytes per second (with a top speed of 4.96 Tbps) and extends from Portugal to Nigeria, with various landing stations, in Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire.

The companies' alliance was first announced in September and reportedly includes the construction and installation of two new branches and stations in Dakar and Abidjan.

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