Telecommunications

Since the early days of the firm's existence, our lawyers have been active in representing international telecommunications leaders, with a concentration of transactions in France, Europe and the United States but also in various countries in Eastern Europe the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia, in connection with rights to technology, structure of operations, obtaining product approvals from governmental and non-governmental standards organizations as well as negotiating and drafting of transnational contracts ranging from manufacturing systems and components to supply and installation on aircraft, in hotels, in businesses and as part of national telecom infrastructure projects (national central switching units, mobile telephone backbone networks, local transmission facilities). The nature of such contracts reflects the variety of business activities in question, including business-to-business, wholesale, network, cable systems and internet activities for French and international telecommunication companies.

Examples of Matters Relating to the Telecommunications Sector :

• Negotiation and drafting of a joint venture agreement in the telecommunications sector between a subsidiary handling space-related activities of a French-based multinational company and a medium-sized American company having developed software capable of tracking a mobile unit on the surface of the earth by satellite. Drafting and negotiation of twenty-two contracts to implement the legal, tax, and commercial objectives of the joint venture, including various manufacturing, distribution and trademark-license agreements.
• Negotiation and drafting of a share purchase agreement for a major telecommunications company in France; legal audit and due diligence of the company sold.
• Negotiation and drafting of various asset purchase agreements between a French-based multinational company and other affiliates of the company, legal audit and due diligence of the assets sold.
• Negotiation and drafting of twenty-two contracts to set up and define the legal, fiscal and business structures of the joint subsidiary, including manufacturing, distribution and brand licensing agreements.
• Negotiation and drafting of a telecommunication system supply, installation and commissioning agreement with a member of an Italian consortium which was granted a contract by the Italian railway authority for the installation of a signalling and telecommunications network along the high speed rail path in Italy.
• Negotiation of a consortium agreement in Switzerland for exclusive cooperation in the preparation of a proposal in response to a request for bids.
• Negotiation and drafting, for a major French telecommunications equipment manufacturer, of a contract for the manufacture and assembly of mobile telephones in a Southeast Asian country.
• Negotiation and drafting of an industrialization contract on behalf of a major French telecommunications company for development of a new generation of mobile telephones.
• Advice in relation to, and negotiation of, a Buyer Furnished Equipment agreement for the supply of mobile telephones in airplanes, for a large U.S. telecommunications manufacturer.
• Negotiation and drafting of an R&D contract in the telecommunications sector concerning aspects of intellectual property, between a national French transport company and an American corporation, in connection with the formation of a joint subsidiary made up of companies of various nationalities.
• Legal opinion on EC law regarding telemarketing of telecommunications accessories directed to European consumers.
• Review and analysis, on behalf of a major French telecommunications company, of joint venture operations in Pakistan for supply of goods and services, encompassing 28 separate agreements.
• Negotiation and drafting of French law agreements for the divestiture of a French cable television company held by a Swiss owner to the Dutch subsidiary of a U.S. cable television company.
• Negotiation and drafting of a framework agreement to operate a cellular radiotelephone system in Hungary (technology meeting the national and international standard).
• Negotiation and drafting of agreements in two multi-party transactions, including Romanian government telecommunications entity, Western European telecommunications service provider, telecommunications manufacturer and satellite telecommunications company, for the supply and installation of the national "backbone" infrastructure, including both switching and microwave mobile phone networks.
• Negotiation and drafting of agreements with Ukrainian national, regional and local telecommunications authorities for the supply and installation of digital automatic telephone exchange networks in Ukraine.
• Reviewed and coordinated the corporate formalities of a Ukraine subsidiary of a French telecommunications group and negotiated with its local partner (former state-owned company), with the assistance of Ukraine counsel.
• Advised a French telecommunications group in relation to, and prepared amendment to, a telecommunications supply agreement with local telecom authorities of Vladivostok.
• Advice in relation to preparation of a supply and installation agreement relating to a fibre optic transmission system in the Ukraine.
• Advice in relation to, and preparation of, an amendment to a contract for supply and installation of a telephone exchange in Armenia.
• Advice in relation to, and preparation of a contract for installation and training services in connection with the supply of a telephone exchange for Byelorussia.
• Negotiation of a services agreement regarding a mediation system for support of protocols, conversion of intercepted calls data and target-provisioning interface toward a control monitoring centre for a telecommunication monitoring, recording and reproduction system. The agreement provided for an international company to furnish support services for the interfaces in the system and convert the standard protocol to that defined by the Ministry of Telecommunication of Russian Federation.
• Preparation of a frame agreement for supply of services by a major telecommunications company and applications agreements for three Russian cities.
• Assisted in the preparation of a response to tender by a major telecommunications company for the supply of transmission equipment for a pipeline from Kazakhstan to the Caspian.
• Assistance in preparing responses to tender offers issued by the national telecommunications authorities of numerous countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, for transactions such as replacement and refitting of telephone equipment and software, installation of GSM networks and new international transit exchanges, supply and installation of public packet switching data transmission networks, installation of private integrated voice/data wide-area networks and installation of subscriber radio systems.
• Negotiation and drafting of a GSM telephony network turnkey contract, together with associated services, between a French-based multinational company and a Moroccan telecommunications company to acquire a cellular telecommunications system in Morocco.
• Preparation of a response to a request for bids, statement of compliance, general conditions of sale, negotiation of turnkey contracts for a French-based multinational company with national telecommunications companies in Jordan, Kuwait and Zambia, to sell telecommunications equipment and associated services, as support services agreements.
• Assistance and advice for various bids and responses to tender offers issued by the national telecommunications authorities for the supply and installation of a public radio communication system in the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, and Slovakia; negotiation and drafting of various telecommunication turnkey contracts and associated services, response to the process launched by states for a licence for a public radio telecommunications system open to national and international consortiums. Reviewed and coordinated with local counsel for the implementation by local partner of such turnkey contracts.
• Negotiation and drafting of agreements for supply of turnkey telecommunications systems for a French-based multinational company, telecommunications operators and consortium in Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Yemen and Zanzibar Emirates.
• Negotiation and drafting of a contract under which a contractor would provide, operate, service and maintain warehousing operations, including the provision of administrative services required by the client (hardware and software support, maintenance, wireless, radio access, installer support, etc.).
• Negotiation and drafting of various software, hardware support and maintenance services agreements pursuant to which French and experienced professional international companies in telecommunication would supply to a French-based multinational company certain software support services and hardware products for telecommunications equipment (GSM, GPRS, UMTS) manufactured by this company.
• Negotiation and drafting of an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) agreements for products purchased for an international telecommunications company from various international OEM suppliers, including (i) various interface equipment agreements, design, supply, installation, commissioning and field testing control, secondment agreement, supply of electric products (ii) a master purchase and license agreement between a French telecommunication companies and a major supplier of microwave radio terminal and (iii) an equipment and services supply frame contract with a supplier which will manufacture and sell microwave systems.
• Negotiation and drafting of rights of way documents and occupancy rights held by a telecommunications company which transferred its network to an affiliate of the same group (including various letters, authorizations required by administrative authorities).
• Preparation of a distribution agreement with an Israeli company which distributes and provide support services for certain telecommunication products manufactured by a French telecommunication company.
• SManagement of various litigations in telecommunications, infrastructure, regulatory and internet activities.
• Preparation of request to French defense authorities for required authorization for certain telecommunication products, including meetings with SCSSI, resulting in successfully obtaining authorization.