The Government will be “very vigilant” if possible “foreign actors” planned to buy the SFR operator, a “sovereignty participation” in France, said Industry Minister Marc Ferracci on Tuesday in CNews and Europe 1. “In fact, today SFR wants to produce its assets in telephony,” said the minister, judging that there is a “possibility” (orange, bouygues and free).
Marc Ferracci did not answer the question of a possible blockade by the government of an attempt to take care of a foreign group. “I can’t say it today,” he said. “I hope to see if the offers manifest,” is an element of concern, telephone infrastructure are elements of sovereignty, so the government will be very attentive to any actor that arises. “
Sovereignty elements
For consumers, a sale of SFR should not translate “due to price increases” in subscriptions “that are too significant and that penalize the telephone bill of the French,” said Marc Ferracci. “But at the same time,” he said, “you have to find an industrial balance.” “Our operators must have the ability to continue investing in the networks.”
The SFR Allice France parent company, very indebted, has entered a process of restructuring its debt after an agreement with its creditors. The sale of SFR, valued up to 30 billion euros according to market rumors, could lead to unprecedented reconfiguration of the French telecommunications market since the arrival of the free operator in 2012.
Source: BFM TV
