Broadnet France, a subsidiary of Broadnet Holdings, the telecommunications company founded by Galway entrepreneur Mr Declan Ganley, was awarded 14 broadband licences in France yesterday.
France's national telecommunications regulator awarded the company regional broadband wireless licences in 14 of the largest cities including Paris, Strasbourg and Nice.
The licences will enable the company to offer broadband services - telephony, high speed Internet and video on demand - to customers without having to connect to the local network controlled by the incumbent operator, France Telecom.
Mr Ganley said the licences would give the company an 89 per cent coverage in terms of France's gross domestic product and an 80 per cent geographical coverage.
He maintained Broadnet France did not compete for one of the two national licences because these could prove uneconomical due to compulsory service requirements for rural areas.
Broadnet has amassed broadband telecoms licences in France, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Spain and Portugal. Earlier this week it was also awarded a national licence in Poland. The company is spending more than $1 billion rolling out its European broadband network.
A decision on whether Broadnet Ireland will secure the fourth wireless broadband licence in the Republic is expected to be made by the telecoms regulator, Ms Etain Doyle, at the end of this month.
A re-evaluation of Eircom and Broadnet Ireland's applications for a broadband licence was agreed following the settlement of a High Court case taken by Broadnet.
