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France: Orange considering union with Telecom Italia

By  |  March 1, 2015

France’s Orange and Italy’s telecom operator Telecom Italia have been discussing a possible alliance between the former monopolies, Orange’s chief executive told the Journal de Dimanche.

“There are no negotiations ongoing just exchanges of points of view between the two management teams,” said Orange’s CEO Stephane Richard.

“It would be an attractive European consolidation opportunity.”

Orange would need to convince the French government, which has a 25 percent stake in the operator, of the value of a cross-border deal.

“The state will agree to slightly loosen its grip for Orange to do a major transaction,” he told the weekly newspaper.

 

Full Content: The Wall Street Journal

 

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