Bouygues Telecom


Bouygues Telecom is a French mobile phone, Internet service provider and IPTV company, part of the Bouygues group. In terms of age, it is considered to be the third oldest mobile network operator in France, after Orange and SFR, and before Free Mobile. Its headquarters, designed by Arquitectonica, is located at the border of Paris and Issy-les-Moulineaux near the River Seine.
In January 2016, Bouygues Telecom were subject to negotiations regarding an acquisition from mobile carrier Orange, which did not progress.

Legal issues

Antitrust Litigation

Along with French Operators Orange SA and SFR, Bouygues Telecom was, in 2015, found by the Autorité de la concurrence to have acted against the best interests of consumers and the economy by sharing confidential information between 1997 and 2003. The three companies were collectively fined €535 million in total. In November 2007, Bouygues Telecom went to court seeking the annul the ruling.

Court Order for Equipment Removal

In February 2009, the company was ordered to take down a mobile phone mast due to uncertainty about its effect on health. Residents in the commune Charbonnières in the Rhône department had sued the company claiming adverse health effects from the radiation emitted by the 19 meter tall antenna. The milestone ruling by the reversed the burden of proof which is usual in such cases by emphasizing the extreme divergence between different countries in assessing safe limits for such radiation. The court stated that, "Considering that, while the reality of the risk remains hypothetical, it becomes clear from reading the contributions and scientific publications produced in debate and the divergent legislative positions taken in various countries, that uncertainty over the harmlessness of exposure to the waves emitted by relay antennas persists and can be considered serious and reasonable".

Bicycle racing team

They sponsored the bicycle racing team Bbox Bouygues Telecom from 2005 to 2010.