Emergency phone calls may not be possible in parts of France if there are prolonged power cuts this winter, CEO of the country's No. 1 telecoms operator Orange (ORAN.PA)said on Wednesday, as the prospect of energy rationing looms amid the war in Ukraine.
The stark warning from Christel Heydemann contrasts with the French government's reassuring tone on the matter and highlights the challenges the telecoms industry faces in keeping mobile services running in the event of prolonged power cuts.
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If, in a geographical area, (mobile network services) are turned off for two hours, there will be no access to the emergency number services for a while," Heydemann told French lawmakers at a hearing in the Senate.
"It is illusory to imagine that we'll be able to maintain service to all French people in the event of power cuts," she said.
Telecoms industry officials told Reuters in September they feared power rationing- a possibility following a plunge in energy supplies from Russia - could knock out parts of the mobile network across Europe, forcing companies and governments to try to mitigate the impact.
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