By Francois Giudice, France and Celestine Okorie, South Africa

The European TowerCo wholly owned by Orange SA, TOTEM, is now operational. Its creation will allow Orange to strengthen its position as a manager and operator of passive mobile infrastructure and to benefit from new sources of growth. Its management and operation will be completely independent following the transfer of all key passive mobile infrastructure assets (sites, land, leases and leases to third parties) to TOTEM.

Chairman and CEO of Orange, Stéphane Richard,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.”

CEO of TOTEM Group, Nicolas Roy said: “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.”

A European ambition

TOTEM aims to become a leader on the European TowerCo market.

As of 1 November 2021, TOTEM’s 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 per cent tower sites, 30 per cent flat roofs and 12 per cent in other locations. TOTEM Spain will manage 7,900 macro-sites, distributed equally between tower sites and flat roofs.

At launch, TOTEM has around one hundred employees in France based in seven cities (Lille, Nantes, Toulouse, Marseille, Paris, Lyon, Donges), around fifty 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.

Network sharing

As a neutral and independent player, TOTEM:

• will offer mobile infrastructure sharing offers to operators;
• will sell coverage solutions to improve connectivity in dense and enclosed environments: stadiums, underground stations, trains, offices, etc.

Strategic assets to improve portfolio value

TOTEM’s is well-positioned to capitalize on the value of its passive mobile infrastructure by leveraging:

• a portfolio of assets with proven operational excellence;
• significant team expertise;
• a thorough understanding of the digital needs and uses of operators and their clients;
• a recognized role as an advisor and supplier of solutions for network construction and maintenance;
• a strong, long-standing relationship with landlords;
• the use of sustainable energy sources.

Neutral and independent management

As a neutral player in the TowerCo market, TOTEM has all the in-house skills required to manage its tenants’ operations and to deploy new infrastructure (“build-to-suit” construction programs and turnkey deployments).

A unique, unified brand

TOTEM has chosen a strong brand representing its vision: mobile infrastructure is a totem of our digital civilization, offering connectivity solutions for all, everywhere, in both rural and urban areas. TOTEM’s mission is to unite all stakeholders – operators, local authorities, institutions, companies and landlords -, offering a response to growing demand for connectivity and contributing to shared growth and development.