Etisalat partners with France Telecom to bring Digital Home & Multimedia Innovations to UAE and other emerging markets

Notes and media contacts

About Etisalat:
Etisalat has been the telecommunications service provider in the United Arab Emirates since 1976. Since then, it has built up state-of-the-art telecom infrastructure and taken a leadership position of innovation and reliability among regional and international operators. Today Etisalat operates across 17 markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East servicing over 74m customers out of a potential market of 1.6bn.

In 2008, the company has grown to become the largest telecommunications company in the Middle East according to market value, and one of the world's largest operators. It was also ranked number 219 in the world, according to the Financial Times. At the end of 2007, it had reported consolidated revenues for the period at Dhs21.3bn, showing an increase of approximately 31%, over 2006 figures. Net Profits reached Dhs7.2bn, an increase of 25% on 2006.


About France Telecom:
France Telecom, one of the world's leading telecommunications operators, serves more than 177 million customers in five continents as of September 30, 2008, of which two thirds are Orange customers. The Group had consolidated sales of €52.9bn in 2007 and €39.9bn for the nine first months of 2008. As of September 30, 2008, the Group had 117.6 million mobile customers and 12.4 million broadband Internet (ADSL) customers. Launched in June 2005, the NExT program (New Experience in Telecommunications) will enable the Group to pursue its transformation as an integrated operator and make France Telecom the benchmark for new telecommunications services in Europe.

In 2006, Orange became the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile services in the majority of countries where the company operates, and Orange Business Services the brand name for services offered to businesses worldwide. France Telecom is the number three mobile operator and the number one provider of broadband Internet services in Europe and one of the world leaders in providing telecommunication services to multinational companies.

For further information, kindly contact:

Etisalat:
Saeed Albadi
Senior Manager Media Relations
Tel: 02 6182173
Fax: 02 6334448

France Telecom:
Bertand Deronchaine
Tel: +33 1 44 44 93 93