Xavier Niel, tickled by a question posed to him by Senator Patrick Chaize, showed a certain virulence, Wednesday March 22.
We had rarely seen a Xavier Niel so reassembled in public. The boss of Free, who was facing members of the Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee, lost his temper after a question about the price stability of Free’s mobile offers and the operator’s ability to hold it. ” There I walk on the moon “, replied the pioneer of triple play. Story of a moment… tense.
Xavier Niel annoyed at being asked about Free Mobile’s tariffs
Xavier Niel was quite hot this week during his visit to the Luxembourg Palace. Although heated on the issue of the upcoming shutdown of copper for which its competitor Orange seems to be dragging its feet, the manager took the opportunity to launch a spade at the hearing about the margins generated by the M6 group. He explained that telecom operators were taxed far too much, while the obligations weighing on them were far greater than those imposed on television channels.
Immediately, Xavier Niel engaged on the point of the tariffs of his mobile operator, questioned on this by the vice-president Les Républicains of the commission, Patrick Chaize. ” You have an aggressive pricing policy which announces stability of your prices over the coming years. Is it tenable? Will you be able to keep your commitments? asked the senator.
” Are you telling me “raise your prices”? I do my job! “, launched Xavier Niel, the lively tone and covering the “ calms you from one of the senators present in the room. He then assured: I’ll turn the volume down before being heckled again by a senator.
The boss of Free does not want us to question what makes his strength
” Sir, if you don’t want me here, I can go and, I promise you, I came this morning spontaneously and kindly. […]. You come to attack me on specific subjects. After an appeasement from President Sophie Primas, Xavier Niel tries to resume his justification on the stability of mobile tariffs.
” Low prices are part of our assets, of what we bring to the French, of purchasing power. In a world where we are going to have problems that are incredibly greater than those we currently have on other reforms, with price increases of 10 to 15%, that a company be responsible, in this country, and saying “I’m not going to raise my prices” doesn’t strike me as something we should comment on. »
” Don’t be provocative » : the price debate is tense
The president of the commission then tried to calm things down, recalling that Senator Chaize’s question was whether it was tenable for Free Mobile to charge low prices over the long term. For the record, the operator has promised not to increase its prices at least for the next five years.
” Listen, I’m happy to pity you, to hurt you, and I thank you for that, it’s quite rare “, then retorted the boss of Free. ” Do not be provocative, Mr. Niel, we did not start on the right foot “, then launched the president.
Xavier Niel recalled that investment remained Free’s priority, even if ” in the end there’s not much left ” (silver). The situation eventually calmed down, the business manager put water in his wine and apologized to the inveighed senator. It will nevertheless be understood that there was no question for the operator to touch the prices of its mobile plans. Beyond the lively discussion, the debate was more than interesting. Exchanges, moreover, to be found on video, on the Senate website.
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