In a report by Bloomberg, Vodacom Group Ltd. is in discussions with France’s Orange SA about a strategic partnership in Africa to explore infrastructure deals to help keep down costs on the continent.
The telecommunications companies are looking at agreements in overlapping markets including Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and reviewing where there are other opportunities to work together.
The talks involve potential agreements to share infrastructure and jointly build connectivity to rural areas.
“We are looking at partnerships with other mobile operators and financial investors in countries where we operate,” a representative for Vodacom said in an emailed statement.
“Our aim is to potentially alleviate the costs of rollout and rural connectivity, helping to address cost to communicate and narrow the digital divide.”
Vodacom and Orange are each working to expand to capture the market’s exploding growth — particularly for mobile services where young, tech-savvy users are spending more time on devices to access everything from entertainment to financial services.
