Paris, 5 June 2008
Initial review of the licensing procedure for 3G mobile operators in the OD
Following expressions of interest by certain market players, ARCEP opened its first-come-first-served 3G licensing procedure in the 2.1 GHz band for overseas departments and collectivities on 30 January 2008. The introduction of the third generation based on the UMTS standard (3G) is an opportunity for consumers living overseas to receive new or more advanced services, in terms of speed, than can be offered by the GSM second generation, just like residents of Metropolitan France.
Since the band’s opening,
- three mobile operators have been licensed for Réunion: Orange Réunion, SRR and Outremer Télécom
- two mobile operators have been licensed for Antilles/Guyana: Orange Caraïbes and Outremer Télécom
Each of these was already present for 2G in the areas for which they were licensed for 3G. The first commercial 3G launches could be made by the end of 2008, and these operators are required to deploy a network covering at least 70% of the population in each of the areas in which they were licensed by 2013.
Extension of current GSM mobile operators’ activity in the Caribbean
Plus, as part of the first-come first-served GSM frequency licensing procedure opened in 2000, ARCEP has just licensed a new 2G entrant in each of the three overseas departments in the Caribbean arch: Guadeloupe Téléphone Mobile, Guyane Téléphone Mobile and Martinique Téléphone Mobile.
The licensing of these three companies is part of an extension of the operator UTS Caraïbes (owned by the UTS NV group, the incumbent of the Dutch Antilles), already licensed to operate a GSM network in Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy. These companies have also indicated that they eventually plan to extend their activity to 3G.
Overseas mobile operators
The following mobile operators are present in overseas departments and collectivities:
LIST OF OVERSEAS OPERATORS AT 3RD JUNE 2008 | ||||
Departments | 2G | 3G | ||
Operators | Minimum coverage requirement | Operators | Minimum coverage requirement | |
Martinique Guadeloupe | Orange Caraïbes | 90% of the population
| Orange Caraïbes | 70% of the population in 2013 |
Guyana | Orange Caraïbes | 80% of the population
| Orange Caraïbes | 70% of the population in 2013 |
Saint Martin Saint Barthélemy | Orange Caraïbes | 90% of the population | Orange Caraïbes | 70% of the population in 2013 |
Reunion | Orange Réunion | 95% of the population 90% of the population | Orange Réunion | 70% of the population in 2013 |
Mayotte | SRR | 90% of the population |
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|
Saint Pierre et Miquelon | SAS SPM Télécom | 99% of the population |
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The first-come first-served 2G and 3G licensing procedures remain open for all players wishing to deploy a second- or third-generation mobile network in overseas departments and collectivities.
N.B.: The next issue of La Lettre de l’Autorité will be released in a few days, and will focus on overseas telecoms.
Linked documents
The abovementioned decisions are available (only in French ):
Decision n° 2008-0607 (pdf - 170KB) about Guyane Téléphone Mobile in Guyana 
Decision n° 2008-0606 (pdf - 169KB) about Martinique Téléphone Mobile in Martinique
Decision n° 2008-0605 (pdf - 169KB) about Guadeloupe Téléphone Mobile in Guadeloupe
Decision n° 2008-0519 (pdf - 184KB) about Outremer Télécom in Overseas Departments
Decision n° 2008-0428 (pdf - 183KB) about SRR in Overseas Departments
Décision n° 2008-0399 (pdf - 189KB) about Orange Caraïbes in Overseas Departments
Décision n° 2008-0398 (pdf - 183KB) about Orange Réunion in Overseas Departments