French finance ministry says it is watching SFR bid closely
17/04/2026 09:25
PARIS, April 17 (Reuters) - The French finance ministry said on Friday it was watching closely a bid by French telecoms trio Bouygues, Iliad-Free and Orange to buy SFR. The proposed deal would represent the largest telecoms acquisition in France since 2000. Altice confirmed that exclusive talks were underway. "This announcement marks an important milestone in a transformative transaction that affects the entire French and European telecommunications sector. We will continue to monitor this transaction closely," the ministry told Reuters. "We remain extremely vigilant regarding job preservation, the impact on subscription prices for consumers, and the maintenance of network investments," it added. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas; Editing by Makini Brice) ((M.Brice@thomsonreuters.com;))