Top French telecoms player SFR has launched a bid for rival Bouygues Telecom.<br /><br /> The deal, if it goes ahead, could have huge implications for the industry and its customers.<br /><br /> European telecommunications company Altice) made the offer through its subsidiary Numericable-SFR.<br /><br /> Altice, owned by French-Israeli Patrick Drahi, has reportedly offered Bouygues shareholders a massive €10bn to buy them out. <br /><br /> If the deal goes ahead SFR Bouygues will claim the lion’s share of the market with 34 million clients.<br /><br /> Orange and Free make up the rest.<br /><br /> The pressure will be on current market-leader Orange and on prices. <br /><br /> Antoine Autier, is a French consumer journalist: “With only three operators there is less market competition than with four operators. There is less incentive to engage in a genuine price competition. If the deal goes ahead the risk is an overall rise in prices.”<br /><br /> Bouygues confirmed it had received an “unsolicited” offer and would hold meetings the discuss the pros and cons.<br /><br /> Wor
