France Tel, SFR risk fines over networks - report

PARIS Oct 23 (Reuters) - France Telecom (FTE.PA) and SFR (VIV.PA) could be fined by France's telecoms watchdog if the two mobile phone operators do not expand their networks across rural areas, Les Echos newspaper reported on Friday.

The two companies could each be fined as much as 700 million euros ($1.1 billion) by the French Authority for Electronic Telecommunications and Postal Services if they do not expand their coverage to the entire French population, Les Echos said, without citing its sources.

Les Echos said AFR and France Telecom's Orange unit cover 80 percent and 83 percent of the French population respectively.

France Telecom and SFR were not available for comment. (Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Dan Lalor)