France to Push Telecoms Mergers to Stop Bouygues Job Cuts

France will use all means to help the country’s phone companies merge, a day after Bouygues SA said separate talks to combine with two rivals failed to result in a deal, according to Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg. Bouygues Telecom, the nation’s third-largest carrier, said yesterday it plans to cut 17 percent of its workforce after inconclusive talks over a linkup with Orange SA, the No. 1 provider, and Iliad SA, operator of the Free brand. French carriers should agree on a transaction that could help ease price wars and make such job cuts unnecessary, Montebourg said.