Orange-Bouygues Telecom merger close to conclusion; Numericable SFR buying most of assets
The negotiations for the acquisition of mobile phone operator Bouygues Telecom by listed telecoms group Orange are understood to be close to finalisation, French daily Les Echos reported.
The report cited a person in the know as saying that the deal could be announced by the end of the month.
According to an observer, French Telco Numericable SFR is believed to have made significant efforts and could acquire most of the assets that Bouygues Telecom has to sell in order for the deal to be greenlighted by the French Competition Authority.
The observer noted that while listed conglomerate Bouygues rejected a EUR 10bn offer for Bouygues Telecom from Numericable SFR in June last year, the deal with Orange would still give most of Bouygues Telecom to Numericable.
Another article from daily le Monde said that listed telco Iliad/telco would agree to acquire only parts of the network and frequencies operated by Bouygues Telecom, while Numericable would buy the major parts of the fixed and mobile customers of Bouygues, while Orange would get its hands on the remaining bits.