The case dates back to the end of 2019. After Orange and SFR, Free decided that year to sue Bouygues Telecom before the Paris Commercial Court for unfair competition. Xavier Niel’s operator considers that so-called “subsidized” offers from its rival, associating a telephone plan with the purchase of a smartphone, constitute a “misleading practice” and similar to a “ready to eat”. According to L’ExpressFree claimed 612 million euros in damages from Bouygues Telecom.
The court has decided. This Thursday, the Paris Commercial Court ordered Bouygues Telecom to pay 308 million euros to its competitor. But Bouygues Telecom disputes this judgment, and intends to appeal to the Paris Court of Appeal, he explains in a press release this Friday.
“This judgment indicates that ‘provisional execution is by right’, which, according to Bouygues Telecom, is inaccurate with regard to a procedure initiated before January 1, 2020, specifies the operator. Bouygues Telecom contests this judgment with the greatest vigor and considers that its bundled offers are legal. Bouygues Telecom believes that it has always worked in strict compliance with the rules of law and for the benefit of its customers. »
Bouygues Telecom also stresses that“no amount has been provisioned in the last accounts closed by Bouygues Telecom (as of September 30, 2020)”.