It’s a seemingly innocuous transaction. Since March, the American fund Phoenix Tower International has been negotiating the acquisition of 1,226 telecommunications sites in France from the Spanish infrastructure group Cellnex. However, the operation arouses the vigilance of the control of foreign investments and the Service of strategic information and economic security, two offices of the Ministry of the economy responsible for examining sensitive files.
This acquisition would in fact give Phoenix Tower International the key to around 600 roof terraces distributed in inner Paris, on which it would be possible to install listening devices, such as IMSI-catchers, small devices that allow to intercept all electronic communications sent from a mobile phone (calls, SMS, Internet traffic, etc.).
Several dozen sites are strategic, as they are located near ministries, administrations, embassies or the headquarters of large companies
According to the leader of an industrial group familiar with the matter and who wishes to remain anonymous, these 600 roof terraces would potentially cover 97% of Paris. The majority of these sites are obviously not of great interest. On the other hand, several dozen of them are strategic, as they are located close to ministries, administrations, embassies or the head offices of large companies, particularly in the 7e and 8e districts of the capital.
Asked by The worldthe Ministry of the Economy, which has the possibility of opposing transactions for national security reasons, ensures that “the acquisition by Phoenix Tower International of rooftop terraces in Paris from Cellnex has been closely monitored by the State”. “State services have worked with society to identify the risks associated with the use of roof terraces in France, identify the measures to be implemented to reduce these risks and preserve the fundamental interests of defense and national security »continues Bercy, who does not reveal the nature of the measures envisaged or where the investigation file is.
Optical illusion
The ministry simply states that it wants “ensure that access to passive infrastructure sites [autrement dit, les toits-terrasses] be kept at the same level of security [élevé] in order to guarantee the integrity of electronic communication networks.. For its part, the management of Phoenix Tower International in France did not wish to communicate on the subject due to “confidentiality rules attached to these procedures”.
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