France Telecom likely to bid for Moroc Telecom stake

Paris: Vivendi SA is pushing France Telecom to step in with a last-minute bid for Vivendi’s African phone operator Maroc Telecom, according to people familiar with the matter, a move that would inject new competition into a months-long auction process that has dwindled down to one official bidder.

The Paris-based France Telecom has for months been studying whether to throw its hat in the ring, in case there were an opportunity to swoop in, some of the people familiar with the matter said. But no bid, nor decision on whether to make one, has yet been made, the people added.

“It’s something we’re looking at because it’s strategically interesting, but there’s no offer on the table,” a spokesman for France Telecom said.

On Friday, Qatar Telecom presented what could be a possible opening for the former French monopoly: The Doha-based company withdrew its formal offer to buy Vivendi’s 53 per cent stake in Maroc. That left only Emirates Telecommunications Corp., also known as Etisalat, in the official running for the asset, which has operations in various parts of West Africa.