Four telecom companies have become three in the French telecom market after Bouygues Telecom, Orange and Iliad agreed to buy competitor SFR following several months of negotiations.
The deal is described as "one of the largest in Europe's telecoms market," and Iliad acquires 31 percent of the company while Bouygues becomes the main owner with 42 percent.
Iliad, led by French billionaire Xavier Niel, became a major owner of Swedish Tele2 two years ago when it bought the entire holdings of investment company Kinnevik for 13 billion kronor.
