French regulator reportedly against any SFR Free merger

France’s competition regulator is reportedly likely to oppose any merger of Vivendi-owned mobile and fixed telecom operator SFR with its rival Free.

Radio service BFM Business reported on its website that the regulator had told a number of its sources that it wouldn’t accept a merger between the pair on the grounds that it would hold too much power in the mobile and fixed broadband business.

Vincent Bolloré, who joined the Vivendi supervisory board following the latter’s acquisition of the Direct 8 and Direct Star channels, has meanwhile expressed his opposition to a merger between SFR and cable operator Numericable, according to BFM Business.