Orascom in talks with Numericable, Virgin over fourth 3G licence, report says

Unconfirmed reports claim that Orascom Telecom, backed by the Egyptian entrepreneur Naguib Sawiris through his Weather Investments holding company, is seeking to buy into the Numericable-Virgin Mobile consortium that is seeking endorsement for France’s fourth and final 3G licence. The French journal Challenge writes that following ‘fruitless talks’ with Iliad (Free) and Bollore Telecom over a possible tie-up, Sawiris is now looking elsewhere in his bid to gain entry into the mature French mobile market. Orascom Telecom was linked with a possible takeover of another French cellco, Bouygues Telecom, in 2007.