Bouygues ponders Deutsche Telekom share deal

French mobile company Bouygues Telecom is in talks with Deutsche Telekom about a possible share deal, according to reports in French newspaper, Les Echoes and the UK's Financial Times.

The FT claims the German telco is interested in buying a minority stake in the French operator, which last month announced the end of discussions with Telecom Italia and the start of talks with various other operators, including NTT DoCoMo and KPN. Ron Sommer, president of Deutsche Telekom, is said to have phoned fellow Bouygues shareholder Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux to propose a joint participation in a French UMTS bid on the condition that it breaks its current intentions to bid with Telefonica. Bouygues and Deutsche Telekom refused to comment.