News

France Telecom and Danish telecoms operator TDC announced this week the merger of their operations in Switzerland.



The merger will create a leading nationwide alternative operator of telecommunication.



France Telecom will pay €1.5 billion (USD2.25 billion) for 75% share in the merged entity, and TDC will hold the rest. The merged entity will have 38% of the mobile phone market, bringing together Orange and Sunrise customers, and will hold 13% of the fixed broadband market, competing with the current market leader and former incumbent, Swisscom.



This news follows the recent merger of France Telecom mobile operations with Deutsche Telekom in the UK.



Given that France Telecom will have a controlling stake in the new entity, its workers will be covered by UNI's global agreement with the company. The Swiss communications union (Syndicat de la Communication) has congratulated France Telecom management who have made clear their intention to work with unions and to reach a collective agreement for working conditions at the new merged entity.