mocoNews.net - Holiday Sales Of iPhone In France Hit 210,000

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Dianne See Morrison

mocoNews.net
Monday, January 12, 2009; 5:59 AM

French operators Orange and SFR were "satisfied" with their sales of mobile phones over the holiday period, Bloomberg reports, citing local French newspaper La Tribune, who spoke to unidentified sources at the two companies. France Telecom-owned Orange sold three times as many Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhones this December, compared with December of 2007, or around 210,000 devices. France's second largest carrier, SFR reported that their holiday sales were helped by RIM's Blackberry Storm.

In December, France's competition watchdog temporarily banned Orange's deal with Apple to sell the iPhone exclusively in the country. Though France Telecom (NYSE: FTE) itself was worried that this might hurt its holiday sales, it doesn't look like there was enough time for its rival operators?and especially number three carrier Bouygues Telecom, which brought the original complaint against Orange's iPhone deal?to start selling the phone. Bouygues Telecom declined to comment on its Christmas sales.