Unlike other European countries, which have four or five mobile operators, France has only three: Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom, which are also the only ones to have a 3G license. In December 2006, the Court of Appeal approved the initial decision of the "Conseil de la Concurrence" (an administrative authority that regulates competition) and confirmed that Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom would have to pay 256, 220 and 58 million euros respectively, because of collusion. The National Regulatory Authority Arcep reopened the bidding for a fourth 3G license, but rejected the sole bid from fixed broadband access provider Free Telecom (Iliad Group) because it failed to meet the required financial conditions, which were the same for new applicants as for the three holders. In November 2007, the French Senate approved an amendment to the country's budget bill for 2008 to allow the government to change the financial conditions for assigning the fourth license. In December 2007, Vivendi's SFR mobile phone division, which owns 40.5% of Neuf Cegetel, offered to buy the rest for €4.5 billion, intending to challenge France Telecom in the market for combined fixed-line, internet and cellphone services and to create "the biggest, strongest non-incumbent in Europe"."Bloomberg News", Published: December 20, 2007, "SFR makes offer to buy rest of Neuf Cegetel" The acquisition was completed on 24 June 2008.
