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France: Orange calls for rivals to succeed where it failed

By  |  July 6, 2014

A week after wireless operator Orange failed to strike a deal with Bouygues and continue France’s market consolidation, reports say the firm is calling on its rivals to merge and encourage that consolidation.

Orange CEO Stephane Richard has reportedly called on Bouygues, Iliad and SFR to continue the merger spree and end the wireless price wars. In an interview, Orange said that while it is prepared to do its part to consolidate the industry, it will not initiate a deal.

France’s wireless merger spree was first kicked off earlier this year when SFR was sold to Numericable after a bidding war with Bougues. But price wars began earlier, back in January 2012 when low-coast Iliad entered the market, according to reports.

Full content: Bloomberg

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