Vodafone extends brand partnership with SFR

UK operator group Vodafone has extended its partnership with France’s SFR for a further four years. Vodafone will continue to use the French operator’s network to provide multinational enterprises with fixed and mobile services in France.

SFR will also provide roaming services for Vodafone customers entering the country, while its own subscribers will have access to Vodafone’s mobile and fixed networks covering nearly 30 countries as well as approximately 50 Vodafone Partner Markets networks worldwide.

The non-equity agreement builds on the partnership that has existed between the operators since 2002. Vodafone’s Global Enterprise division and SFR’s Business Team will also collaborate on business opportunities such as M2M services, 4G and 4G roaming and unified communications.

“This latest agreement with Vodafone bolsters both companies’ positions in the key enterprise market in France and confirms SFR as a leading player in the French telecommunications,” said SFR CEO Jean-Yves Charlier.

Earlier this month SFR parent company and French conglomerate Vivendi accepted investment vehicle Altice’s offer for its mobile operation. Under the terms of the offer SFR will merge with Altice’s cable operator Numericable and Vivendi will receive €13.5bn for SFR as well as a 20 per cent stake in the new merged entity. The firm estimates the total value of the offer at around €17bn.