
Numericable was a French telecommunications company that played a significant role in the country's digital landscape. It was founded in 2001 by Xavier Niel, a French entrepreneur.
Numericable's early success was largely due to its innovative approach to broadband internet and television services. The company's focus on delivering high-speed internet and interactive television to French households helped establish it as a leader in the market.
In 2014, Numericable merged with SFR, another French telecommunications company, to form a new entity called Free. This merger marked a significant shift in the company's strategy, allowing it to expand its reach and offerings to French customers.
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Services and Network
Numericable controlled a vast majority of the cable network in France, representing around 9.5 million potential households or about 32% of French households.
The company provided a range of services, including internet or TV access, internet and telephone access, internet, telephone and TV access, and all the above services including a mobile phone contract.
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Numericable had a significant presence in the high-speed fiber-optic market, holding 70% of the market share according to figures published by Arcep. As of June 2012, the company counted over a half million high-speed fiber-optic customers.
Here's a breakdown of Numericable's customer base:
- Television subscribers: 3.5 million
- Internet subscribers: 1,037,000
- Telephone subscribers: 753,000
- High-speed fiber-optic customers: over 600,000 (as of November 2012)
International Network
Numericable had a significant international presence, with operations in Luxembourg, Belgium, the French Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana), and Portugal.
In 2016, Numericable was replaced by SFR in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Overseas France, marking a significant shift in the region's cable TV market.
SFR took over Numericable's operations in these areas, expanding its reach and services to customers.
In Portugal, Altice sold Cabovisão to Apax France due to its Meo acquisition, and the company was rebranded as Nowo on September 19, 2016.
Here's a breakdown of the international network changes in 2016:
Telecommunications
Numericable was a major player in the French telecommunications industry, offering a range of services to households across the country. The company provided internet, TV, and telephone access, with options to bundle these services together.
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Numericable controlled a significant portion of the French cable network, with 9.5 million potential households represented, which is about 32% of French households. This extensive network allowed the company to reach a large number of subscribers.
The company had a significant presence in the high-speed fiber-optic market, with over a half million customers as of June 2012. This number grew to almost 600,000 by November 2012.
Here's a breakdown of Numericable's services and customer base:
SFR Merger Complete, New French Telecom Leader Formed
The SFR merger is complete, and a new French telecom leader has been formed. This merger combines Numericable's extensive high-speed fixed network with SFR's strong mobile presence, aiming to deliver convergent offers and challenge established market players.
The acquisition was finalized in 2016, marking the creation of Numericable-SFR. This new entity is a result of Altice's acquisition of SFR from Vivendi for approximately €17 billion ($23 billion).
Numericable-SFR has operations in several countries, including Luxembourg, Belgium, French Caribbean, and Portugal. In Portugal, Altice sold Cabovisão, due to Meo acquisition, to Apax France and it was rebranded as Nowo on 19 September 2016.
Here's a brief overview of Numericable-SFR's presence in Europe:
With its extensive network and strong mobile presence, Numericable-SFR is poised to challenge established market players and deliver convergent offers to its customers.
News and Events
The Numericable-SFR merger was officially finalized, marking the creation of a new heavyweight in the French telecommunications sector.
This merger combined Numericable's extensive high-speed fixed network with SFR's strong mobile presence, aiming to deliver convergent offers and challenge established market players.
The acquisition of SFR by Numericable (Altice) created a new company, Numericable-SFR, which is well-positioned to offer a range of services to French consumers.
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Latest News
Numericable is interested in acquiring Virgin Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) valued at 325 M€.
The consolidation in the telecom sector is accelerating, with Numericable already engaged in the process of acquiring SFR.
Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux is the president of Virgin Mobile, which is owned by Omea Telecom, a holding company with a 46% stake.
Only 10% of the article about Numericable's latest news is available to non-subscribers.
Altice Wins Sfr with $23 Billion Bid
Altice won SFR with a $23 billion bid, a landmark agreement that aimed to forge a dominant player in the French telecommunications market.

This deal was secured from Vivendi, with Altice acquiring SFR for approximately €17 billion, or $23 billion.
The acquisition was made by Altice, the controlling shareholder of French cable operator Numericable, which later became Numericable-SFR after finalizing the merger.
The combined entity aimed to deliver convergent offers by combining Numericable's robust fixed-line broadband network with SFR's extensive mobile services and customer base.
Altice's acquisition of SFR marked the creation of a new heavyweight in the French telecommunications sector, challenging established market players.
Broaden your view: Telecommunications in French Guiana
History and Development
Numericable's journey began in 1982 when the French government abolished the state monopoly and created the Consejo y la Autoridad de Comunicación Audiovisual to oversee the liberalization of the audiovisual sector.
The first cable networks were launched in 1986 under the Plan Nacional de Cable, which aimed to connect one million households in five years using the latest technologies.
Lyonnaise des eaux created Paris Câble, which later became Lyonnaise Câble, Noos, and Numericable, marking the beginning of commercial cable networks in Paris.
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In 2000, Lyonnaise Comunicaciones rebranded as Noos, and by 2001, Noos had acquired the cable TV services of NTL, a French media group.
In 2006, NC Numericable and Noos merged, and the Noos brand disappeared, replaced by the name Numericable, with a new logo and marketing campaign launched in 2007.
Numericable expanded its activities to the Antilles in 2005 and acquired WSG and MTVC, major cable operators in Guadeloupe and Martinique, in 2008.
In 2011, Numericable launched its mobile virtual network operator, offering an 'unlimited' plan and highlighting its competitiveness, and also introduced a 'triple play' internet offer for €4 per month.
The company continued to innovate, launching the 'Box by Numericable' in 2011, a product that combined a modem and receiver, offering access to 300 thematic channels, the internet, and unlimited calls to landlines and mobile numbers in France and several international locations.
To stay ahead of the competition, Numericable launched a €10 million nationwide advertising campaign in 2011, featuring three fictional creatures representing the company's main services: television, internet, and wireless communications.
However, the company faced a setback in 2014 when SFR launched its fiber packages using the Numericable network, resulting in the loss of certain channels due to an exemption being withdrawn.
Despite this, Numericable continued to evolve, launching the premium movies and series TV channel Altice Studio in 2017, following an exclusive agreement with Discovery and NBCUniversal.
Investors and Team
Numericable's leadership is led by a strong executive team as of April 2025.
The team is responsible for driving the company's vision and strategy forward.
As of April 2025, Numericable's leadership includes the executive team, but unfortunately, their names are not mentioned in the provided article section.
Numericable has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including a few notable ones.
Unfortunately, the article section does not provide the names of these investors either.
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Funding
Numericable has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including Goldman Sachs, Charter Communications, and the investment firm KKR.
The investment firm KKR has a significant stake in Numericable, having invested in the company's growth and development.
Goldman Sachs has also provided financing to Numericable, helping the company expand its operations and services.
Charter Communications, a major cable provider, has a close relationship with Numericable, likely due to their shared focus on delivering high-quality internet and TV services to customers.
Meet the Executive Team
As of April 2025, Numericable's leadership includes the executive team.
The executive team is responsible for making key decisions that drive the company's growth and success.
Meet the key players behind Numericable's success.
Numericable's leadership is led by a team of experienced professionals.
These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their roles, helping to shape the company's future.
The executive team is comprised of talented individuals who are passionate about their work and committed to excellence.
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