Orange CEO sees window for French telecoms consolidation in 2019
15 OCT 2018
Orange [EPA: ORA] CEO Stephane Richard expects to see opportunities for consolidation in the French telecoms market as early as 2019.
"It's very simple. There is a need for consolidation and I have no idea when...2019 might open a window of new discussions between the four main players," he told this news service on the sidelines of the FT's ETNO conference in Brussels.
The upcoming 5G auction, the end of the reforming process for the spectrum and 2018 financial results season could be a catalyst for a deal next year, he said.
Orange, Bouygues Telecom, Altice’s [EPA:ATC] SFR and Iliad [EPA: ILD] are France’s four key telecoms players.
"It's very simple. There is a need for consolidation and I have no idea when...2019 might open a window of new discussions between the four main players," he told this news service on the sidelines of the FT's ETNO conference in Brussels.
The upcoming 5G auction, the end of the reforming process for the spectrum and 2018 financial results season could be a catalyst for a deal next year, he said.
Orange, Bouygues Telecom, Altice’s [EPA:ATC] SFR and Iliad [EPA: ILD] are France’s four key telecoms players.
The 2018 results could show that some are suffering more than others, he added.
Separately, Orange is still in the process of developing Orange Bank in-house and has no acquisition plans for the unit, Richards said.
Last December, Les Echos reported that Orange could consider an IPO of its operations in Africa and the Middle East in 2018. Richard denied a listing of its African operations is on the cards "because we have no need for it".