Struggling French MVNO Auchan Telecom has sold its subscriber base to competitor EI Telecom, which already controls six virtual operators.
Financial details were not revealed but the telco said in a joint statement that EI Telecom would continue to…
Struggling French MVNO Auchan Telecom has sold its subscriber base to competitor EI Telecom, which already controls six virtual operators.
Financial details were not revealed but the telco said in a joint statement that EI Telecom would continue to operate the Auchan brand.
EI, which is 95%-owned by Credit Mutuel CIC and the balance by multimedia group NRJ, claims to have 1.1 million subscribers and revenues of €360m in 2012.
In mid-July, SFR, which leases its network to Auchan Telecom, had been tipped has a potential acquirer of the MVNO’s 150,000 subscribers.
Like many operators in France, Auchan Telecom has been impacted by heated competition following the launch of low-cost carrier Free Mobile last year.
Auchan Telecom, one of France’s 40 MVNOs, was introduced six years ago by supermarket chain Auchan but, according to reports, has never been profitable.
