France

France Télécom to close US research lab

Article published on the 2009-08-18 Latest update 2009-08-18 15:17 TU

Mobile Phone on Red Background, Paris, August 2009
(Photo: Rosslyn Hyams/RFI)

The French telecoms operator, France Télécom has confirmed newspaper reports about the planned closure of its R&D centre in Boston in the US. About 50 researchers are employed there. The centre is to shut down in October 2009.

"This closure is part of our project to optimize out research centres. A few months ago, we had announced our wish to focus on bigger centres," explained a France Télécom spokesperson.

"Boston's assignments are similar to those of other centres," he added.

The Boston site was specialised in research into vocal micro-blogging, which is the development of internet on mobile phones and voice recognition.

France Télécom, has 18 research centres in the world, and Boston is one of two in the US - the other is in San Francisco. Its most recent centre is in Amman, the Jordanian capital, and was opened in March 2008.

The firm employs about 5,000 people in total in R&D.