PARIS, November 30 (Reuters) – Emergency numbers could be inaccessible in some regions of France in the event of prolonged power cuts this winter, Orange chief executive Christel Heydemann warned on Wednesday, as the country is facing electricity supply difficulties.
The remarks of the leader, who took the reins of Orange in April, contrast with those reassuring given on this subject by the government and underline the difficulties which the telecommunications industry poses to the prospect of prolonged power cuts.
“If in a geographic area, (mobile network services) are turned off for two hours, there will be no access to the emergency number service for a while,” she said during an interview. a hearing by the Senate Economic Affairs Committee.
“It is illusory to imagine that in the event of load shedding, we will be able to maintain continuous service for all French people,” added the manager.
“I fear that our fellow citizens and the French will discover that the telecom networks depend on electricity”.
Telecoms officials told Reuters in September they feared a severe winter in Europe could test infrastructure, forcing governments and businesses to take action.
Christel Heydemann said that Orange had carried out numerous tests on its mobile network in France to assess and anticipate the risks of cuts.
These alarmist remarks contrast with the government’s recent comments on the risk concerning emergency call numbers.
“In the scenarios we are considering, and if there were problems with the electricity supply at a given time, there are what are called ‘resource antennas’, which are well distributed throughout the national territory. and in fact, a single antenna, for example from a single functional operator, is enough for all the emergency numbers to be able to work”, assured government spokesman Olivier Véran on Tuesday during the press conference at the end of the Council of Ministers. (Report Mathieu Rosemain, French version Laetitia Volga, edited by Blandine Hénault)
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