what future for the operator?

On Friday November 15, Bouygues Telecom finalized the acquisition of La Poste Telecom, the virtual operator behind the La Poste Mobile brand. The press releases published by Bouygues, La Poste Telecom and SFR confirm a transaction worth 950 million euros, a sum shared between the La Poste group, which will receive 484.5 million euros for the 51% held until then in La Poste Telecom and SFR, the two historic shareholders.

A transfer with almost no impact for customers

For its part, Bouygues Telecom welcomes around 2.4 million additional mobile customers. Until now, the operator claimed 15.8 million mobile customers. It is approaching the 20 million mark and its rival SFR, with different trajectories for the two operators. While Bouygues Telecom is regularly gaining mobile customers, SFR is on a downward slope.

This finalization is an opportunity for Bouygues Telecom to confirm the integration of 400 La Poste Telecom employees, but also to announce an exclusive distribution partnership. Indeed, La Poste Mobile offers will continue to be distributed in the post office network, thanks to an agreement between Bouygues Telecom, La Poste and La Banque Postale. The La Poste group specifies that “La Poste will continue to be remunerated according to the level of activity and with a guaranteed minimum under two new framework service and brand license contracts”.

Despite this change of ownership, La Poste Mobile customers will keep the conditions of their existing contract, as well as their telephone number. However, they will have to switch to the Bouygues Telecom network and a transfer of the SIM card will be offered. “from the second half of 2025”. La Poste specifies that it will use all of its local channels, post offices and digital platform, so that the transfer to Bouygues Telecom takes place in the best conditions.

Bouygues Telecom strengthens its position

Each party welcomes this operation and the formalization of this acquisition helps Bouygues Telecom to strengthen its position on the French market. The operator, which gets its hands on the first virtual operator on the market in France, is diversifying its offer in order to capture a wide audience. It eliminates a competitor in the process while the battle rages between the main operators and MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). As a reminder, the Bouygues Telecom network is also used by the Auchan Télécom, Cdiscount Mobile and NRJ Mobile brands.

“This strategic step with the La Poste group illustrates our ambition in the consumer market. It is a source of great pride to bring together our two brands with such strong values: proximity, know-how and agility”assures Benoît Torloting, general manager of Bouygues Telecom. For his part, the president of La Poste Telecom, Julien Tétu, believes that “It is a great pride for the La Poste Telecom teams to join Bouygues Telecom and the Bouygues group, who have built an extremely meticulous project to continue the development of the La Poste Mobile brand, in perfect understanding of its key elements of success ». And to add: “This operation brings together the best of both worlds by combining the development of this beautiful postal brand in one of the most formidable local networks in the country, the network of post offices, with the exceptional know-how of the Bouygues teams Telecom ».