Orange, Iliad, Bouygues’ SFR deal faces French antitrust scrutiny

BRUSSELS: Orange, Iliad and Bouygues’ €20.35 billion ($23.24 billion) joint bid for telecoms operator SFR will come under French antitrust scrutiny, the French regulator said ‌on Wednesday, indicating ⁠a possibly ⁠easier regulatory path for the deal.

The telecoms industry has long complained about the European Commission’s reluctance to approve deals reducing the number of operators in a market from four to three, amid concerns about price hikes and less competition.