Orange’s French business picks up despite virus outbreak

PARIS: A turnaround in France helped Orange post growing first quarter revenues, though store closures in Europe during the coronavirus outbreak dented equipment sales and hindered efforts to roll out new fibre optic broadband connections.

France’s biggest telecoms operator, which has already cut its dividend payout by 30%, has so far said it is unlikely to deviate from its 2020 financial goals. It added it would assess these after the second quarter, when the impact of the crisis becomes clearer.

People under lockdown at home as governments enforce measures to fight the virus have relied on internet connections to work or school their children.