Iliad, the company behind the newest operator in France, Free Mobile, is keen to join the network sharing plan of rivals SFR and Bouygues Telecom, according to a letter published in newspaper Les Echos.

The letter, attributed to Iliad chief executive Maxime Lombardini, said the company is seeking talks with the two operators and that the network sharing plan could have a significant impact on the French mobile market.

A Reuters source said Iliad is concerned it will be left without a partner and will also be in a weaker negotiating position with French number-one operator Orange if it is left out of the SFR/Bouygues deal. SFR and Bouygues are expected to reach a final agreement early in 2014.

Lombardini said Iliad is not opposed to network sharing in principle but feels a deal without the company’s inclusion could destabilise competition and be legally challenged.

Iliad wrote to SFR and Bouygues regarding the network sharing plan and sent copies to the telecoms and competition regulator in France.

Iliad, which launched its low-cost service at the beginning of 2012, is required to cover 75 per cent of the population with its 3G network as a condition of its licence. Network sharing would boost its efforts to achieve this while keeping costs down.

The newcomer said it will spend €1 billion on building its network and is also paying Orange €500-700 million per year until 2016 under a roaming agreement while Iliad’s network is constructed.

Mobile prices in France have come down by around 15 per cent since Iliad’s launch, according to Reuters, with further falls likely. This trend has prompted Orange, SFR and Bouygues to cut costs in order to restore profitability.