
Neuf Cegetel was a French telecommunications company that played a significant role in the French broadband market.
Founded in 2000, Neuf Cegetel was the result of a merger between Neuf Telecom and Cegetel.
The company operated in the fixed broadband and mobile telecommunications sectors, offering a range of services to both residential and business customers.
Neuf Cegetel had a strong presence in France, with a significant market share in the fixed broadband market.
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Company Identity and Structure
Neuf Cegetel's company identity was deeply rooted in its partnership with the French state. The company was formed by the merger of three French telecommunications companies, including Cegetel, Neuf Telecom, and Cegetel's mobile subsidiary, Libertel.
Neuf Cegetel's structure was a result of this partnership, with a strong presence in the French market. The company had a significant presence in the French cable television market, with over 4 million subscribers at its peak.
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Identité Visuelle (Logo)
A company's logo is a crucial part of its identity, and Neuf Cegetel's logo from 2005 to 2009 was a significant one.
The logo was used from May 11, 2005, to April 1, 2009.
A logo can make or break a company's image, and Neuf Cegetel's logo was an important part of their branding during that time.
Here are some key dates for Neuf Cegetel's logo:
- Logo introduced: May 11, 2005
- Logo retired: April 1, 2009
Filiales
As we explore the company's structure, let's take a closer look at the filiales, or subsidiaries, that are an integral part of its operations.
AOL France SNC is a 100% owned subsidiary, indicating a significant level of control and investment from the parent company.
The company also owns Club Internet (T-Online France) in its entirety, with the Service Client activities being rebranded as Neuf Assistance.
LDCollectivités is another 100% owned subsidiary, suggesting a strong focus on serving the collective needs of the community.
Fibres Optiques Défense (FOD) is a subsidiary that is fully owned by the company, highlighting its commitment to providing advanced fiber optic services to the defense sector.
Here is a list of some of the company's other 100% owned subsidiaries:
- AMSE (renamed Neuf Center)
- Médiafibre
- Erenis
- Ozone Paris
- Tradingcom
- Wengo
- Jet Multimédia
- Efixo
- Irisé
Key Statistics and Figures
In 2008, Neuf Cegetel's revenue was 3.3 billion euros, with a significant increase of 16% from 2007.
The company's EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) was 250 million euros in 2008.
Neuf Cegetel had 3.2 million clients with high-speed internet access.
Here are the key statistics and figures for Neuf Cegetel in 2008:
Neuf Cegetel's client base was diverse, with 5 million clients in total, including 3.294 million ADSL clients.
The company's revenue from clients was broken down into three categories: operators, businesses, and individuals, with the latter showing the most significant increase of 65% from 2007.
Business and Operations
Neuf Cegetel's business operations were a complex mix of traditional and innovative approaches. The company was formed in 2000 through the merger of two smaller telecom companies, Neuf and Cegetel.
Neuf Cegetel's focus on fiber-optic technology allowed it to offer high-speed internet services to its customers. This was a key differentiator in the market at the time.
The company's business model was based on providing a range of telecom services, including broadband internet, television, and phone. This allowed customers to bundle multiple services together for a discounted price.
Neuf Cegetel's operations were highly decentralized, with a network of local offices and customer service centers across France. This helped the company to build strong relationships with its customers and provide personalized support.
Autres Raisons Sociales Liées
In the world of business and operations, there are many factors that contribute to a company's success or failure. One important aspect is the social reasons behind a company's existence, which can be just as crucial as its financial reasons. Neuf Cegetel, a French telecommunications company, had several social reasons that led to its merger with SFR.
Here are some of the key players involved in Neuf Cegetel's history:
- Siris + Unisource
- 9Telecom (Réseau & Entreprise)
- Telecom Développement
- LDCom + LDcable
- Firstmark
- Fortel
- Kaptech + Worldnet
- Belgacom France
- Kertel (partiellement)
- Ventelo
- CompuServe France (via AOL)
These companies were all part of Neuf Cegetel's history, and their merger with SFR had a significant impact on the telecommunications industry in France.
Residential Segment

In the residential segment, Neuf Box is a customer-premises equipment that provides high-speed internet access and landline phone services to customers in larger urban areas of France. It bypasses traditional phone services by using voice over broadband (VoIP).
Neuf Box is a versatile device that can work with different broadband access technologies. This flexibility has allowed Neuf to push other service providers, like France Telecom, to launch similar services.
Neuf TV is a digital television package that can be accessed by connecting the Neuf Box to a separate HD decoder using HomePlug powerline bridges. This allows customers to enjoy high-definition television without the need for additional equipment.
Neuf Mobile offers GSM telephone services through an MVNO agreement with SFR. This partnership has enabled Neuf to provide mobile services to its customers, expanding its reach in the market.
Here are some key players in the residential segment:
- Neuf
- France Telecom (Orange)
- Free (Iliad Group)
- Alice (Telecom Italia)
- Numericable
Enterprises Segment
In 2007, Neuf Cegetel's Enterprises division generated a significant portion of the company's revenue, accounting for 31% of the Group's total revenue of €3.348 billion.
This revenue came primarily from the sale of IP services, including broadband internet access and IP VPNs, which were used by many businesses.
The "9Office" VoIP offer was a particularly popular product, accounting for close to 40% of new data links during the 4th quarter of 2007.
The "9Office" offer targeted small and medium enterprises, providing them with a multiservice solution that included VoIP-enabled multiservice routers from OneAccess.
By the end of 2007, Neuf Cegetel's network had connected 173,000 business access links, representing an annual increase of 34,000.
Here are some of the key products and services offered by Neuf Cegetel's Enterprises division:
- IP services: broadband internet access, IP VPN ("9 Ipnet")
- "9Office": a multiservice offer targeting small and medium enterprises (20-250 employees) and multi-site enterprise segments, based on a VoIP-enabled multiservice router (OneAccess)
- "9office Mobile": GSM telephone services provided through an MVNO agreement with SFR
- "9Pass": a multiservice offer targeting small businesses (3-20 employees) using customer-premises equipment to deliver basic IP PBX voice features, LAN and Internet services, managed by Neuf Cegetel or a partner
- "9 Ipnet ToIP": a managed IP PBX offer coupled with IP VPN and SIP trunking services targeting government and large enterprises
- Connectivity and legacy voice services: Leased lines, Indirect access, direct access, special numbers, etc.
Chooses Ericsson and Redback for next-gen fiber-to-home network
Neuf Cegetel, the largest alternative carrier in France, has chosen Ericsson and Redback to build its next-generation fiber-to-the-home network. This deal will allow Neuf Cegetel to introduce high-bandwidth communications services for both consumers and businesses.
The new network will be built using Redback's SmartEdge 1200 multi-service edge routers, which can aggregate optical access nodes into a high-speed, 10 Gbps metro Ethernet network. This will enable Neuf Cegetel to deliver data, voice, video, and mobility services over fiber networks.
Redback's SmartEdge 1200 routers are an ideal platform for managing triple-play services, which combine broadband, phone, and TV services. Sixteen of the top 20 telephone carriers worldwide already use Redback's router platform to deliver these services to over 63 million subscribers.
Redback is an Ericsson company that has been helping manage triple-play services for 63 million subscribers and 16 of the top 20 telephone carriers worldwide. The company has over 500 carrier customers worldwide and is based in San Jose, CA.
Neuf Cegetel's broadband network already reaches more than 70% of France's 62+ million people, serving over three million broadband subscribers and 150,000 corporate sites.
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Mergers and Acquisitions
Neuf Cegetel's history is marked by significant mergers and acquisitions that shaped the company into a major player in the French telecom market. The group's consolidation efforts began in 2005 with the merger of Neuf Telecom and Cegetel.
In 2006, French competition authorities approved the acquisition of AOL's France internet access business, which added 505,000 customers to Neuf Cegetel's roster. This move helped the company expand its services and accelerate the rollout of broadband services.

Neuf Cegetel continued to grow through strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of T-Online France in July 2007. This deal brought in an additional 1.12 million broadband Internet clients, increasing the company's total to 3.12 million by the end of September 2007.
Here's a brief summary of Neuf Cegetel's major mergers and acquisitions:
Consolidation and IPO
Cegetel's revenues from the traditional services market were declining, and the group arrived late on the DSL market. This led to a merger with Neuf Telecom in August 2005 to create Neuf Cegetel.
The merged group, Neuf Cegetel, made an initial public offering (IPO) of its stock on the French Euronext exchange in October 2006. This IPO was oversubscribed nearly 15 times.
Neuf Cegetel's expansion program and roll-out of broadband services were key drivers behind the IPO. By October 2006, the group had acquired AOL, France's internet access business, which had 505,000 customers.
The acquisition of AOL's customer base significantly boosted Neuf Cegetel's customer numbers. By the end of September 2007, the group had 3.12 million broadband Internet clients, up 56% from two million a year earlier.
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Le Rachat par SFR
In 2008, SFR acquired Neuf Cegetel, a significant event in the history of these two major telecom players in the French market. This acquisition allowed SFR to become a major player in the market, facing off against Orange, their main competitor at the time.
The acquisition of Cegetel by SFR marked a turning point for Neuf Cegetel, which had been created in 2005 through the merger of Neuf Telecom and Cegetel. Prior to the merger, Neuf Telecom was a leading provider of fixed-line telephony, while Cegetel was a major player in the ADSL market.
Here's a brief timeline of the key events leading up to the acquisition:
- 1996: Vivendi created Cegetel, which held 80% of SFR.
- 2005: Neuf Telecom and Cegetel merged to form Neuf Cegetel.
- 2008: Neuf Cegetel was acquired by SFR.
The acquisition of Neuf Cegetel by SFR had significant consequences for the company's customers, who were migrated to SFR's services without any technical changes. However, they were given the option to cancel their contracts without incurring any penalties.
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Competition and Market Position
Neuf Cegetel's competition in the French telecommunications market was fierce, with several established players vying for market share.
The company's strategy was to focus on providing high-speed internet services to its customers, which helped it to differentiate itself from its competitors.
Neuf Cegetel's market position was strong, with a significant presence in the French market, particularly in urban areas.
In 2006, the company had a customer base of over 1 million, which was a significant number considering the market size at that time.
Its focus on high-speed internet services allowed Neuf Cegetel to maintain a competitive edge in the market.
Neuf Cegetel's market share was around 10% in 2006, which was a respectable figure in the highly competitive French telecommunications market.
The company's commitment to providing quality services and innovative products helped it to retain its customer base and attract new customers.
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Investments and Technology
Neuf Cegetel made major investments in FTTH services in France, with plans to roll out services in major population centers starting in 2006-2007. The company aimed to acquire a large number of customers to make these investments pay off.
In January 2007, Neuf Cegetel purchased Mediafibre, a small regional fiber-based triple play operator in Pau, bringing strong expertise in municipal FTTH projects to the company. Neuf Cegetel took control of Erenis, an alternate service provider laying fiber in Paris since 2003, which had over 10,000 customers.
Neuf Cegetel announced plans to invest €300 million in 2007, 2008, and 2009 to exceed 1 million homes in Paris and other cities, and sign up 250,000 customers.
Major FTTH Investments
In 2006-2007, several service providers in France, including France Telecom (Orange) and Free Telecom (Iliad Group), announced plans to roll out FTTH services in major population centers.
Neuf Cegetel acquired several ADSL-based triple play operators to increase its market share and became the second-largest broadband operator in France after France Telecom (Orange).
In January 2007, Neuf Cegetel purchased Mediafibre, a small regional fiber-based triple play operator in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, southwest France, bringing expertise in municipal FTTH projects to the company.
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By February 2007, Neuf Cegetel had taken control of Erenis, an alternate service provider with over 10,000 customers, which had been laying fiber in Paris since 2003.
Neuf Cegetel announced its FTTH-based triple play offering was available to 55,000 households in Paris with internet access at speeds up to 50 Mbit/s for a headline price of €29.90 ($40.75) per month.
Neuf Cegetel planned to invest €300 million ($408 million) in 2007, 2008, and 2009 to exceed 1 million homes in Paris and other cities and sign up 250,000 customers.
LD Collectivités, a Neuf Cegetel subsidiary, was selected for the first public service contract to develop a FTTH network in the Paris region.
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WiMax
WiMax is a technology that's gaining traction in France. LD Collectivités and HDDR have partnered up to roll out WiMax services in the Haut Rhin department.
Their joint venture, SHD, is also planning to launch a WiMax network in the region of Île-de-France. This is a significant development, as it will bring high-speed internet access to more people in the area.
SFR and Neuf Cegetel are also involved in the project, teaming up with SHD to roll out the WiMax network. Their combined efforts will help make WiMax a viable option for many French citizens.
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