France will “inevitably” see the number of telecom operators fall from four to three, Orange’s CFO said on Wednesday, adding that recent take-private deals by two of them, Iliad and Altice, could improve conditions for a merger, reported Reuters.
The French telecoms market has not yet fully recovered from a protracted price war started by Iliad’s Free Mobile services in 2012, with cut-throat offers successively hitting the performance of all four operators, including Bouygues Telecom.
This has prompted industry leaders to pursue consolidation, but all attempts have so far failed.
The exit of Iliad and Altice Europe from the stock market may facilitate deals, Orange finance chief Ramon Fernandez told the Morgan Stanley TMT conference. read more
“For companies which are private now, it’s probably easier to consider… strategic options, maybe consolidation in the French market,” Fernandez said.
“I’m not saying that we are now on the verge of seeing something happening in France. But when the time will come, and inevitably it will come, it will be easier for these players to engage into discussions,” he added.
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Pfizer Settles Remaining Effexor XR Antitrust Claims for $25.5 Million
Apr 29, 2024 by
CPI
South Korean Regulator Approves LG Uplus and Kakao Mobility EV Charging Venture
Apr 29, 2024 by
CPI
Federal Judge Dismisses Doctors’ Antitrust Suit Against Ohio Health System
Apr 29, 2024 by
CPI
Paramount CEO Bob Bakish Steps Down as Merger Inches Closer
Apr 29, 2024 by
CPI
EU Brands Apple’s iPadOS as Gatekeeper in Tech Crackdown
Apr 29, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI