2023-05-19 09:42:00
Bouygues Telecom ended up doing it. In a press release published this Tuesday, May 16 on its site – and which was not sent, as is generally the case, to the press – the operator announced that it had paid the sum of 308 million euros to Free.
Read also: Bouygues Telecom evokes a “high” risk of having to pay 308 million euros to Free
Bouygues Telecom had been ordered by the courts to pay this amount to its great rival in the context of a dispute relating to old bundled offers. These consist of staggering the price of a smartphone in exchange for subscribing to a long-term subscription. The practice was deemed anti-competitive by Free, which felt aggrieved.
Bouygues Telecom has exhausted legal remedies
Bouygues Telecom challenged this judgment “with the greatest vigor”, considering that its bundled offers were legal. He appealed. At the same time, he also appealed to suspend the execution of the judgment, and not have to pay these 308 million euros. But this request was swept aside last month by the Paris Court of Appeal.
In the process, Bouygues Telecom mentioned a risk ” pupil “ to have to pay this slate. It’s now done. « Bouygues Telecom today paid Free Mobile the sum of 308 million euros, increased in particular by the legal interest requested.specifies the operator in his missive.
Long-standing resentment in Bouygues and Free
One can imagine, without difficulty, the anger of the staff of the operator of the Bouygues group. Bouygues Telecom and Free have gone hand in hand for years. And especially since Xavier Niel’s operator launched in 2012 on the mobile market by cutting prices.
At the time, Martin Bouygues, furious at Free’s offensive, which directly threatened his business, did not mince his words with regard to his competitor. “I bought myself a castle, it’s not to let the gypsies come on the lawns”he had dropped in particular.
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