Patrick Drahi ensures it can “save the Press” – Le Figaro

On Wednesday morning, Patrick Drahi responded to questions from the Senate Economic Affairs Committee.

Patrick Drahi has defended its business model before the senators, worried about whether SFR would honor its commitments in the fixed and mobile telephony. They also asked him to clarify his position in the press. Patrick Drahi explained that he could “save the press.”

The owner of SFR believes it Locate an economic model to save all of the press by integrating a telecom-media group. He believes “ensure the sustainability of this medium,” with its application integrating its securities ( Libération , Express , L’Expansion …). “They are seen by 12 million people, hundreds of thousands watching”, says the boss, who reminds that 1.5 million downloads were made. Anxious to reassure journalists, he repeated three times that “the clipboard will always exist,” but “he will not invest in one that does that paper.” Patrick Drahi also emphasizes throwing BFM Sports Tuesday night and launch soon BFM Paris. “For a long time a new channel had not been launched in France.”

In the field of telecoms, Patrick Drahi resumed its usual arguments. Its business model is based on its ability to increase the amount of subscriptions by providing new services. He took advantage of the platform offered him to throw some spears to its competitors. In the fixed Internet, he castigated the “Offers 14 euros for a service that is 30″ in a thinly veiled attack against Bouygues Telecom – the latter offers his box in Miami ADSL or fiber 14 euros per month, as part of the celebration of its 20th anniversary. “This morning before I came I had coffee at 1.5 euros. When we do that every day is 45 euros per month. It’s more expensive than a subscription to a broadband service for which it has invested billions of euros, “railed Patrick Drahi. He closed the door to all the questions on the participation of SFR in a new price war. It is clear, it will not be in the game.

Patrick Drahi tried to reassure senators about its commitments in the coverage of French territory in very high speed fixed and mobile, promising to achieve 2.3 billion euros of investment in 2016, particularly in networks, against 1.4 billion in 2015. It promises to “do twice” for investment, even if the sum does not double … with its ability to optimize its expenses.

The businessman wants to continue to deploy 4G. Its network currently covers 66% of the population, he promised to reach 70/75% faster. Similarly, in the fiber, it reaffirmed its commitment to have 22 million fiber taken in 2022. However, it has not removed all doubts on the fulfillment of its commitments in the deployment of fiber in areas moderately dense. “We are still negotiating the division,” said he simply said. And in rural areas, where local authorities have deployed their own network, said Patrick Drahi several times prefer to own a tenant infrastructure. Thus leaving little hope for deployment of services in the public initiative networks (PINs).