Vivendi is “well advanced” with spin-off plans for SFR, according to the French operator’s CEO Jean-Yves Charlier, as the potential for a trade sale has diminished.

The aim is for a listing in early July, said Charlier (pictured), following a filing of details with regulators by March and then a request to shareholders for approval in June.

Just a few weeks ago, Vivendi was still chewing over a possible sale of the operator to Numericable, the French cable operator, but now the momentum has swung behind a demerger for SFR.

That decision will have implications for the nature of competition in the country’s mobile market since, according to Charlier, SFR will now focus on cashflow generation in the lead up to its spin-off.

This means SFR will not be a keen participant in the country’s ongoing mobile price war. Instead it will focus on service differentiation as the means to compete with rivals.