Numericable, Completel and NC Numericable have received a letter from Bouygues Telecom claiming EUR 53 million in damages with respect to a five-year white label contract entered into in May 2009, and extended for an additional five years , for the supply to Bouygues Telecom of double and triple-play broadband services. Bouygues Telecom has accused the Numericable group companies of pre-contractual fraud (provision of erroneous information prior to the contract signature), breach of contract, and harm to its image. Numericable said it considers Bouygues Telecom’s claims to unfounded and is contesting the allegations and level of damages sought.
Numericable has also received notice of a suit filed by Iliad and its affiliates Free and Free Mobile, seeking to prevent its distribution of the IPO prospectus it registered with French securities regulator AMF on 18 September. The plaintiffs claim that the document includes false and devaluing information about them. Numericable states that the IPO prospectus was prepared in good faith based on the information available at the time, and that the document does not constitute an advertisement comparing itself to competitors. It considers the law suit frivolous and has asked the court to reject it.
