TIMELINE-France Telecom negotiates changing markets

Feb 25 (Reuters) - France Telecom (FTE.PA) Europe's third-largest telecom operator posted in-line revenues and operating profit for 2009, as new chief executive Stephane Richard sent a message of continuity to markets [ID:nLDE61N22A]

Here is a timeline of events at France Telecom:

2002-2005 - CEO Thierry Breton needs to save the former state-owned monopoly from bankruptcy after his predecessor loaded up on debt to fund purchases during the Internet bubble.

-- France Telecom faces increased competition in its home market as the government applies a policy of local loop unbundling, which requires it to rent out parts of its network to rivals. This creates a very competitive broadband market with Iliad (ILD.PA), Vivendi (VIV.PA) and Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE).

Feb 2005 - Didier Lombard appointed CEO as Breton becomes Finance Minister. A telecoms engineer, Lombard rose through the ranks when it was still a government agency and also served several years in a high-ranking post in the finance ministry.

-- Lombard announces three-year plan dubbed NExT that bets on the convergence of fixed and mobile services and cuts roughly 17,000 jobs. The plan includes a pledge to pay a generous dividend and generate 8 billion euros in free cash flow annually, a metric closely watched by analysts.

-- Lombard pushes France Telecom to embrace Voice Over IP (VOIP) calling services, which move voice traffic over the Internet instead of traditional phone lines.

July 2005 - France Telecom buys Spanish mobile operator Amena for 6.4 billion euros, its biggest M&A deal since its purchase of Orange in the U.K. in 2000.

June 2006 - France Telecom rebrands most of its products and offers under the name Orange.

Jan. 2008 - France Telecom will spend 200 million euros a year through 2012 to acquire exclusive broadcast rights for certain matches of French premier league soccer. It marks a major strategic shift into content distribution.

Feb. 2008 - France Telecom says it will consider boosting dividend payouts after solid results.

June 2008 - After months of uncertainty during which France Telecom's stock dropped sharply, TeliaSonera rebuffs a $42 billion bid from France Telecom.

Jan. 2009 - Lombard announced new 3-year business plan, dubbed Orange 2012, which emphasises low-risk acquisitions and does not include job cut targets.

May 2009 - Stephane Richard, ex-chief of staff to Finance Minister Christine Lagarde, is installed at France Telecom with a view to succeeding Lombard when he retires in 2011.

Sept. 2009 - Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom plan to merge their British mobile units due to intense UK competition.

Sept. 15, 2009 - A France Telecom employee kills herself, the 23th person to commit suicide at the group since early 2008. Unions blame the deaths largely on chronic restructuring and work pressure.

Nov. 2009 - Lombard opens negotiations with unions, freezes all worker transfers and says he will unveil a big project in high-speed broadband to remotivate staff.

Nov 24, 2009 - France Telecom buys out its Swiss rival Sunrise for 1.5 billion euros to challenge local leader Swisscom (SCMN.VX).

Dec. 2, 2009 - Stephane Richard is confirmed as deputy chief executive as speculation grows over whether Lombard will be forced out early over the suicide crisis.

Dec. 18, 2009 - Iliad obtains France's fourth mobile licence.

Feb. 1, 2010 - Lombard says will present plan to next board meeting to split chief executive and chairman roles, paving way for Richard to take over as CEO on March 1.

Feb. 25 - France Telecom posts in-line revenues and operating profit for 2009, as new chief executive Stephane Richard sent a message of continuity to markets [ID:nLDE61N22A]

March 1 - Richard takes over as chief executive, Lombard becomes chairman.

(For a newsmaker on Richard please click on [ID:nLDE61N19BL])

(Writing by Leila Abboud in Paris and David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)