Free Mobile has recruited 2.6 million customers

 

In the wake of its entry in the booming mobile market, Free Mobile revealed it had won 2.6 million customers in late March, while Orange was losing 615,000, 620,000 SFR and 89,000 MVNOs. "Never an operator has won as many customers in as little time," said Xavier Niel, founder and owner of Free.

The small sign operator and a great commercial success and won the bet he had set himself. Indeed, he won 4% market share on the mobile in 80 days. Its goal is eventually to have 25% market share.

Satisfaction is complete for Xavier Niel, especially as Free has received the "halo of mobile" on its activities as a fixed, where it now exceeds 5 million subscribers: he recorded a 50% market share recruitment broadband in the first quarter of 2012 and its activity is fixed in 9.8% growth over the quarter. Leaves to change operator in the mobile, and to benefit from even better prices, some customers were quick to switch their internet subscription and exchange their old box against a Freebox.

Impact difficult to quantify

Remains now is whether this success will continue over time, while competitors such as Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Virgin argue that the bleeding has stopped customers since mid-March and they recover even customers parties at Free.

Free, which shows a quarterly revenue up 29% to 656 million euros, did not give the average revenue per user (ARPU), a key figure in the telecoms field. He simply said that customers were divided "balanced" between the subscribers of a subscription to two euros and those who opted for a more profitable subscription to 19.99 euros a month.  

Therefore difficult to measure the impact of the launch of Free Mobile on the margins of the operator. "The quality of the distribution of offers within the mobile subscriber base is evidence of a sustainable business model and economics," Free said simply. In sales, the mobile has generated 97.5 million euros, of which 11.5 million euros from the sale of terminals and 86 million for the telecom services business. The set weighs about him almost 560 million euros.

AgroGeneration covers three continents

 

History does not put all your eggs in one basket, the agricultural subsidiary of Charles Beigbeder, AgroGeneration, just move up a gear in Argentina. The company created a joint venture with a local partner, the group La Suerte Agro, belonging to the family Lacau, whose roots lie in the Beam. It is present since 1880 in the agricultural sector in Argentina.

The partnership covers the operation of 14,000 hectares of GM crops: wheat, soybeans and corn. "The first risk is of a farmer's climatic hazard, said Charles Vilgrain, CEO of AgroGeneration. The best way to protect yourself is to be present in the northern hemisphere and southern hemisphere with a harvest every six months. Not to mention that it also divides the political risk. "

The partner brings AgroGeneration Argentine land, the French entrepreneur, his expertise in the development of farmland. Already present in Ukraine, the group, which cultivates 50,000 hectares, is located in the upper range of yields published by other international actors, for example with 4 tons per hectare for wheat and 1.8 tonnes for the rapeseed.

As in Argentina, the company does not own the land it operates in Ukraine. "This is a less capital-intensive investment," says Charles Vilgrain. Thus, to 2,000 euros on average per hectare of land quality in Ukraine, AgroGeneration should have spent 100 million euros to get their hands on the land he tills. The company preferred to hire them. Result, it quickly became profitable. In 2011 it produced nearly 164,000 tons of grain for a turnover of more than 23 million euros and a net profit of EUR 2 pay day loan lenders.3 million. But the adventure might not stop there way.

Strategic areas

"One day we will also be in Africa, there is much to do to meet the growing population and needs five times more important in agricultural commodities in the next fifty years, said Charles Vilgrain. There are three strategic agricultural areas in the globe where you must be: the Eastern Europe, Latin America but also Africa, the official added. International groupings have already taken place at the trading level of the meat but not at those specialized in field crops such as wheat. AgroGeneration wants to get the ball rolling. "

A vein that attracts the greed of investors. "The agricultural commodities sector is increasingly financialized," said Michel Portier, Agritel manager specializing in risk management on agricultural commodity prices. Other examples: the land of the management company Pergam Paris, Campos Orientales. "We have 30,000 hectares of farmland in Argentina and 25 000 hectares in Uruguay, explains Olivier Combastet, président.Notre its production is very diversified in rice farming, wheat, barley or soybeans. "Closer to home, Russia, Dreyfus, through its holding reset Agro, already controls 90,000 hectares of farmland and 150,000 hectares is the term.

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The price of eggs has doubled in a year in France

 

Egg prices more than doubled in one year. "Today, 100 eggs cotent 9.5 euros on the spot market (market day to day), Figaro tells the Christian Marinov, director of the French Confederation of poultry farming (CFA). There was a year they were worth 4.62 euros. " With a peak on March 13 at 13.53 euros for 100 eggs.

Main cause of this sudden increase: up to standard European cages for laying hens. Brussels imposed from 1 January 2012, a minimum area of ​​750 farms in square centimeters against 550 before. "The drop in production comes from the adaptation time required for farms transform their building is being finished, adds Christian Marinov. Some of the 1500 French producers have taken a little late compared to their investment plans to bring their buildings up to standard. This is the first time we have received state aid, $ 12 million over one billion euros in investment cash advance no fax. But all eggs produced in France since the beginning of the year are the standards, "stressed the head of the CFA.

Also the current shortage in France, European leader with 15 billion eggs consumed annually is it only temporary. "We will return to normal by next July when the farms are all in line. Courses on the spot market should go down significantly, "said Christian Marinov, recalling that" the balance point is around 6 euros for 100 eggs to the producer. "

Meanwhile processors who refused any contractual take their troubles patiently. These include manufacturers of pasta or pastry industry. "For the consumer the impact is limited, an increase of about 2 to 3% on the selling price," says Christian Marinov.

Thuillier: "France Television has restored the debate"

 

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Retirees continue Greece

 

Two Greek citizens seeking nothing less than the cancellation of the debt exchange transaction completed on March 12, which allowed Greece to considerably lighten his burden. A wealthy widow of 76 years and a retired undertook to continue the Greek state court, aggrieved by the restructuring of sovereign debt to their country, they held bonds. The widow puts its losses at around 200,000 euros and 4000 euros retired, or about half of their initial investment. "This is the first time that Greek investors take legal action against the state by asking the court to declare illegal and unconstitutional the decree implementing the debt exchange," said a source at Reuters court.

March 12, Greece is indeed managed to finalize the largest debt restructuring in history. 85% of private creditors – mainly banks, insurance companies and funds – have agreed to exchange their obligations under Greek law against new longer maturity bonds, and a value less than half. A massive turnout, which allowed Greece to force reluctant investors to participate in turn in the exchange, that is to say to make losses. With this agreement, Greece has reduced its debt by 107 billion euros, a total of 350 billion euros installment payday loans. A prerequisite to payment of a new international aid, totaling 130 billion euros, of which Greece was badly needed to meet its deadlines. This debt forgiveness can also expect the country to achieve a ratio of debt to GDP from 120.5% in 2020.

This is the start of "collective action clauses", by which Greece has forced investors reluctant to join the exchange, which is currently being challenged by some of its creditors. 110 of them, a German national, had already announced, following the restructuring, they had hired a law firm to seek redress. This is not so much the outbreak of collective action clauses is disputed, the fact that these clauses have been introduced retroactively. Some creditors believe that the rules were changed along the way, illegally. The judicial process may however take several years. Argentina, who also conducted a decade ago to a partial restructuring of its debt is still within the scope of prosecution.

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The submarine curious for billionaires

 

Yesterday, James Cameron, Titanic director has given the private submersibles under the spotlight the feat by successfully exploring, alone in a small sphere, a site 10 kilometers under the sea off the Philippines.

Certainly, it is far from the submarine Phoenix, luxurious project of U. S. Submarines: $ 78 million and 65 meters long. It can cross the Atlantic in one go and has, height of chic, its own miniature submarine. Maybe he interested Richard Branson, the Virgin boss adventurous. It prepares to dive in the Puerto Rico Trench with its own submarine by 8600 meters of water in search of possible treasures.  

Competition is low: according to the manufacturer SEAMagine, only a dozen billionaires possess a submersible, but more often would welcome megayachts small submersibles one million dollars.

French side, the builder DCNS is on deck: its Nautile, the source of scientific submersibles, may well also realize the dreams of billionaires. Who can do more

.

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The UK does not digest the tax on "meat pies"

 

In Britain the meat pies, meat pies – have been at the heart of a new controversy. When presenting its budget, the government cited a 20% tax on all products made from dough and meat served hot and win. A measure supported by the vendors of fish and chips, which they already pay such VAT and enjoy little competition for bakers. But the press and political opponents of David Cameron were quick to assume that the Prime Minister was out of touch, by lowering taxes on the highest incomes from 50 to 45%, while increasing the price of food of the less favored social classes. To not pass a snob, the curator explained that he was also a "pie eater", recounting his last experience in the upscale Cornwall. But Sun has investigated, and, bad luck, the store is talking about Cameron closed in 2007? Suddenly, the Labour leader Ed Miliband rushed at one of the leading meat pies, chain Greggs. He said the government has downgraded the living standards of the British by all possible means. To show that he himself is close to the people, Miliband himself to offer his team eight turnovers with meat for lunch.

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Customers Free forgive "errors of youth"

 

Free Mobile customers retain a large majority, confident in their new operator. This is what spring launched a call for evidence on lefigaro.fr, which raised last week over 500 comments.

Two major trends. There are those for which the passage went smoothly and that no difficulty to make calls. "In Grenoble, it captures nickel without using the Orange network," says Andrei. "In some places, the coverage SFR does not allow me to capture correctly and to Free, in the same places, I get the network" welcomes Jules.

"Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell"

Then there are those, more numerous, who see recurrent problems call for the evening, as well as cuts. "Between 17 and 20 hours, it's hell for making a call. It always fails on "network busy" and you have to try again twenty times to make a call, "says Emily. "Since March 5, the flow of Free Mobile 3G has enormously weakened and is very unstable", complete a resident of Lille.

Yet these customers often forgive the "teething problems" Free Mobile. "When I chose to come to Free, I knew there would be concerns, but I trust the professionalism of Free to solve these problems quickly," says Guy, Internet subscriber for ten years at Free. "At that price, I agree to some problems of network", abounds Paulo, who has spent her entire family at Free Mobile. Anthony, He remembers the difficulties encountered by the first mobile operators. "I suppose we must give some time to Free to upgrade," he considers.

Other customers are less forgiving. "I regret that I spent at Free! Customer service is saturated with calls. This is not a serious operator who was obviously not prepared enough to get into the mobile, "says Vince. "I just changed to B & You (the low-cost brand of Bouygues Telecom, Ed). There's no commitment so, who knows, I may come back when they are at Free at the point, "says Jordan.

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Spain could lead the European Relief Fund

 

Spain hopes to get the chairmanship of the Permanent Mechanism of rescue of the euro area (SS) and seems well positioned to succeed, according to an EU official interviewed on Sunday by Agence France-Presse. "It's a real possibility" for Madrid to recover this function to be assigned soon, he said, on condition of anonymity on the sidelines of a meeting of EU leaders in Finland.

The permanent emergency mechanism to protect the countries of the monetary union of the debt crisis must be activated in July. Until recently it was taken for granted that the current President of the Temporary Relief Fund in the euro area (EFSF), the German Klaus Regling, head of the MES. But several key positions must be free by this summer in major European institutions (Eurogroup EFSF, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and the negotiations are going well.

Unable cumulation of Germany

But the hackneyed Germany itself cards by campaigning for his Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble will become the next president of the Eurogroup when the mandate of the current incumbent, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Jean-Claude Juncker, will arrive due this summer. Given the economic weight of Germany, Schäuble is well positioned to obtain the direction of this forum of finance ministers of the monetary union, said two officials of the euro area also on condition of anonymity no checking account payday advance. "It is the favorite," said one of them. In these circumstances it would be very difficult for Germany to get more of MY president.

So Spain seriously eyeing this function. Because at the same time Madrid has little chance of securing a position in the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, also at stake and for which she has applied. This is a Luxembourg, Yves Mersch, who is best placed, the sources said. "Of two things, if Schäuble was appointed to the Euro, Spain can expect the MES as compensation. And finally if Juncker was to remain in the Eurogroup, Spain will get the job at the ECB as the Luxembourg can claim the two portfolios, "said one official.

In Finland, the Spanish Secretary of State to the European Union, Inigo Mendez de Vigo, would not comment on details of ongoing negotiations. "I can tell you that ultimately we will not be losers" of history, he said at a news conference. "We are a family, a family and sometimes you do not get everything you want but ultimately you should feel at ease and I am confident that ultimately we will be at ease" with the result, he said.

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Google better understand the issues of Internet

 

The Wall Street Journal, Google will soon be able to understand the meaning of the words searched by the user and to provide "direct responses", in addition to the traditional ties linking to other websites. These responses, semantic analysis results, will be displayed directly below the search form, as is already the case during a search on the term "weather" for example.

With Answers service, closed in 2006, Google had already tried to semantic analysis by the only means then available: human responses. People were then paid to answer questions from users. Today, the issues will be analyzed directly by algorithms. To recognize the user's request, Google will index all the information available online, relevant to the topic, rather than just keywords. The Wall Street Journal takes the example of a search for "Lake Tahoe" that will display directly the characteristics of the lake at the top of the results. If the user wishes to know the ten largest lakes in California, Google will display the list of lakes in addition to simple links.

Keep users on Google

By posting relevant content directly on the results page, Google users will no longer need to visit the pages indexed. Specialized site for The Verge, "provide direct answers instead of links to other pages to meet the new Google strategy, which seeks to keep its users within its walls, as it does with Google + quick payday loans." Google's interest is to increase the visibility of ads by keywords on the pages of results. This activity represents "the majority of $ 37 billion in annual revenues of Google," says the Wall Street Journal.

This innovation features reminiscent of Wolfram Alpha, a search engine capable of aggregating and format of information available elsewhere on the Internet. Wolfram Alpha is at the heart of the wizard voice of the iPhone 4S, Siri, who can ask a question to his mobile and get an answer directly, without needing to click a link or to seek self- same information on a web page. To do this, the software combines speech recognition and semantic analysis to recognize the words of the user and the meaning of his question. Recently, Anthony DiClemente, chief of the division of Internet and media research at Barclays Capital was concerned about the impact of the Apple software on Google: "Siri can bypass traditional search engines and provide the user with responses that originally would have necessitated a search online. "

Google could also put this new feature to good use in Android mobile. According to TechCrunch, Google is preparing to launch in fact a competitor of Siri for Android, Google wizard.