France Telecom has acquired a 53 per cent stake in Ugandan wireless service provider Hits Telecom Uganda, and formed a new company, Orange Uganda, which is expected to launch services under the Orange brand.

France Telecom has acquired a 53 per cent stake in Ugandan wireless service provider Hits Telecom Uganda, and formed a new company, Orange Uganda, which is expected to launch services under the Orange brand. France Telecom will also provide roughly half the $200 million investment planned over the next three years, to roll out Hits’ network countrywide. The transfer of Hits’ national public infrastructure provider and public service provider licences to the new company has already been granted approval by the regulator, the Uganda Communications Commission. Other shareholders of Hits Telecom Uganda include International Investment House (IIH, an international investment firm based in Abu Dhabi), Al-Awael Holdings, Ali Mohamed Abas Khouri and Veritas Communications Limited.