SFR has struck deals with five other operators to knit together a multinational alliance to provide services to French international business customers.

The French number-two player has created what it calls a Network Team alliance also comprising US-based Verizon, UK-based Vodafone, Middle East player Etisalat, Morocco’s Maroc Telecom and India’s Tata Communications.

Vodafone was a shareholder in SFR until last year, while SFR’s parent Vivendi also owns Maroc Telecom.

The initiative will be led by SFR’s enterprise subsidiary and will initially focus on areas such as network interoperability, VPNs and quality of service guarantees. International fixed-line, mobile and cloud services are expected to be introduced at a later date.

Opening up new revenue streams is important for SFR. Last month, it announced it is planning an “adjustment of its cost structure” that will lead to annual operating savings of EUR500 million by the end of 2014.

During the first six months of the year, the company has suffered from price erosion due to what it called “the new competitive environment and to several price cuts imposed by the regulators”. As with its rivals, the company has seen its home market shaken-up by the launch of low-cost rival Free Mobile.