Euskaltel strikes ‘improved’ deal with Orange and opens way to joint fibre investments

Spanish regional cable operator Euskaltel has struck a new wholesale agreement with Orange to enable it to offer services nationally that it says offers “better terms and longer agreements” than the previous deal.

Euskaltel has relied heavily on Orange’s network to realise its plans to offer services outside its home markets of the Basque Country, Asturias and Galicia in Northern Spain. According to the Bilbao-based operator, the new deal will reduce the cost of offering services over Orange’s fixed network and opens the way for possible joint investments with Orange in the future.

Under the new deal, mobile service terms will be fixed until June 2024, with no ned date for fixed services.

The company said that the deal was an improvement on the fixed line and mobile wholesale agreements the Euskaltel Group previously had with Orange and enabled the Group to access more advanced mobile and FTTH networks with long-term visibility, whilst maintaining the structure of previous agreements and including better terms and innovative services.

It said the terms provided significant cost savings for the Euskaltel Group with Improved volume-based discounts.

In fixed networks, the agreement allows Euskaltel to access Orange Spain’s FTTH network using a wholesale service model throughout Spain and under better terms.

The deal also opens the way to the pair making joint investments in FTTH in the future.

Orange’s deal with Euskaltel follows a recent new fibre deal with service provider MásMóvil, confirming Orange’s place as the main provider of network capacity to third-party operators in the country.