Orange is bringing a money transfer service already available in Africa and the Middle East to its home country.

France’s leading operator will target Orange Money at French users with friends and family in Africa.

The service provides money transfer from France to Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal using mobile phones, as well as within France. Orange also makes it easier for recipients in those African countries to withdraw money from over 30,000 Orange Money points, typically agents for the service.

The Orange Money service has been available in the three African countries for some time.

An Orange Money app will be available soon in France, according to the operator, which says it will look to expand the money transfer offer from France to other countries over time.

Users do not need a bank account to use Orange Money in France, but they must have a mobile plan and register at a point of sale offering Orange Money with an ID card and proof of address.  It is free to open an account.

So far, Orange only has 41 points of sale, offering the service in France. They include newsagents, call shops, local grocery stores and tobacconists across the country, as well as an Orange Money store in Paris.

To carry out a money transfer, the customer credits their account with a bank card or cash at a point of sale. They then log onto their account from their phone by ringing #144#, entering the number of the recipient as well as the amount to transfer and confirming the transaction with their Orange Money password. The transfer is completed and the money is available in the recipient’s account.

Orange is entering a crowded market with not just specialist mobile remittance players but which also attracts social network giants, such as Facebook. It will hope to leverage markets where it already has a strong presence.