Orange CEO Urges Rivals to Engage in M&A as Prices Hit Lows

Orange SA Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard says his rivals’ low-tariff tactics are no longer enough to steal market share in France, and he won’t be a leader in mergers and acquisitions meant to end a three-year price war.

Bouygues SA, Iliad SA and SFR should take the lead on consolidating the wireless market, though Orange is willing to take part, Richard said in a Bloomberg Television interview in Aix-en-Provence. Richard sees wireless phone bills hitting their lowest and predicts fixed business customers will prove less prone to switching providers based only on price.