The ongoing negotiations regarding the future of Altice France assets have reached a new milestone with the formal extension of the exclusivity period granted to Bouygues Telecom, Free-Groupe iliad, and Orange. While the initial window for exclusive talks was scheduled to close on May 15, 2026, Altice France has agreed to push the deadline to June 5, 2026, providing more room for the parties to refine the details of a potential deal.
The discussions center on a joint offer submitted by the three major operators on April 17, which values the assets in question at an enterprise total of 20.35 billion euros. This consortium represents a significant alignment of France’s telecommunications leaders, including Orange, the nation’s largest operator, and the iliad Group, which has expanded its footprint to 52 million subscribers across Europe.
Despite the progress indicated by this extension and the “constructive” nature of the current dialogue, all involved parties have issued a standard caution. At this stage, there remains no guarantee that the extension will lead to a definitive agreement. The outcome of these talks would have major implications for SFR, the Altice France subsidiary that currently serves over 25 million customers as the country’s second-largest operator.