PARIS (Reuters) - Orange (PA:ORAN), France's biggest telecommunications firm, has started informal talks with rivals Numericable-SFR (PA:NUME) and Iliad (PA:ILD) on possible asset sales in case it would acquire Bouygues' telecoms unit, sources close to the matter said.
The talks include the potential sale of part of Bouygues Telecom's mobile spectrum, its customer base, network and shops, the sources said. A decision on a potential deal between Orange and Bouygues may be reached before the publication of Orange's full-year earnings on Feb. 16, they added.
"All the players want to make it happen," one of the sources said. "It is probably the last opportunity to succeed in the consolidation of the market," the source added.
Orange, which had negotiated a potential takeover of Bouygues Telecom - France's third mobile operator - in 2014 had started new talks with Bouyges in recent weeks, according to several sources.
The sources said the parties are negotiating a deal under which Bouygues Telecom shareholder Bouygues (PA:BOUY) would receive about 10 billion euros (7.59 billion pound) in cash and shares for its 90 percent stake in its telecoms unit.
