Maxtel, Bollore, HDRR sweep French WiMAX licence awards

French telecommunication regulator Arcep has awarded Maxtel, a group including motorways operator APRR and Iliad's Altitude Telecom, 13 of the country's 22 regional WiMAX WLL licences. It was followed by 10 percent Aeroports de Paris (ADP)-owned Bollore Telecom with 12 regional licences, and HDRR, a consortium comprising TDF and LD Collectivites, with 11. SFR and Neuf Cegetel-backed SHD won two. France Telecom won none in continental France, but one in French Guiana and another in Mayotte. A large number of regional government authorities were successful as well. Two licences were attributed for each region. Arcep said that over 3,500 WiMAX sites will be deployed by June 2008. The state will collect a total of EUR 125 million from the licence winners in 2006. See the websites of the major WiMAX licence winners for self-congratulatory press releases.