Bouygues Telecom

For the cycling team, see Bbox Bouygues Telecom.

The Bouygues Telecom (IPA: /bwiɡtelekɔm/) is a French mobile phone company, part of the Bouygues group.

1 Legal issues
- 1.1 Large fine for unethical business practices
- 1.2 High Court ruling to remove base station
2 Bicycle racing team
3 References
4 External links

Legal issues

Large fine for unethical business practices

In 2005 along with SFR and Orange SA, Bouygues Télécom was found by the Conseil de la Concurrence (the French competition body) to have acted against the best interests of consumers and the economy by sharing confidential information between 1997 and 2003. The 3 companies were collectively fined €535 million in total. In November 2007 Bouygues Télécom went to court seeking cancellation of this decision.

High Court ruling to remove base station

In February 2009 the company was ordered to take down a mobile phone mast due to uncertainty about its effect on health. Residents in the commune Charbonnières in the Rhône department had sued the company claiming adverse health effects from the radiation emitted by the 19 meter tall antenna.^[1] The milestone ruling by the Versailles Court of Appeal reversed the burden of proof which is usual in such cases by emphasizing the extreme divergence between different countries in assessing safe limits for such radiation. The court stated that, "Considering that, while the reality of the risk remains hypothetical, it becomes clear from reading the contributions and scientific publications produced in debate and the divergent legislative positions taken in various countries, that uncertainty over the harmlessness of exposure to the waves emitted by relay antennas persists and can be considered serious and reasonable".^[2]

Bicycle racing team

They sponsor the bicycle racing team Bbox Bouygues Telecom.

References

^ Barstad, Stine (18 February 2009). "Kunne ikke bevise at strålingen var ufarlig" (in Norwegian). Aftenposten. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/5h1rbHhvs. Retrieved on 25 May 2009.
^ Residents living next to a phone mast vs. the mobile phone company Bouygues Telecom, [1] (Versailles Court of Appeal 4 February 2009).