en.Wedoany.com Reported - French group Iliad (which owns Play) has increased its funding for the acquisition of SFR shares to nearly €10 billion by refinancing €3.5 billion. In early June, the group signed a memorandum of understanding with Altice France, Bouygues Telecom, and Orange regarding the acquisition of SFR assets. If the transaction is approved, Iliad's Free network will gain over 8 million additional users, bringing its total customer base in France to nearly 31 million, while also acquiring an additional 50 MHz of spectrum to enhance network capacity and support future growth.

When signing the memorandum, Iliad stated it had raised €6.5 billion to finance the acquisition. Recently, the group refinanced two credit facilities totaling €3.5 billion, involving a syndicate of 31 international banks. The company said the refinancing will help strengthen its capital structure, increase available liquidity, and extend the maturity of major bank loans.

Specific financing adjustments include: the revolving credit facility increased from €2 billion to €3 billion, with maturity extended from 2029 to 2031 (with two one-year extension options). A €1 billion term loan originally due in 2027 was refinanced to €500 million, with maturity also extended to 2031. The remaining €500 million was prepaid early based on proactive asset-liability management.

Iliad Group Chief Financial Officer Thomas Kienzi stated that banks provided nearly €10 billion in financing commitments within days, reflecting the high trust of financial partners. By extending the average debt maturity, expanding financing capacity, and continuing rigorous asset-liability management, the group has enhanced its financial flexibility and ability to execute its long-term strategy.

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