European Union clears Virgin and Carphone Warehouse to start new French mobile phone service

EU regulators on Thursday cleared Virgin Mobile Holdings PLC and Carphone Warehouse Group PLC to launch a new mobile phone service in France .

Photo: European Union clears Virgin and Carphone Warehouse to start new French mobile phone service

The two companies said last October they would jointly create and own a mobile virtual network operator that would rent access from France Telecom's Orange network and offer mobile calling under the Virgin Mobile France brand.

The European Commission fast-tracked the regulatory approval, meaning it received no complaints from rivals and saw no antitrust concerns.

Subscription terms and other details of the offering will be announced when the service is launched, the two companies said.

The French government has been promoting the creation of MVNOs virtual networks that lease airtime from established operators to increase mobile competition and lower calling prices in France , where the market is dominated by three operators Orange , SFR and Bouygues Telecom, reports the AP.

D.M.