By Benjamin Horney ( March 17, 2016, 6:48 PM EDT) -- A massive, complicated deal that could transform France's telecommunications sector and decrease the number of major mobile operators in the region from four to three is in the works, according to a Thursday report from The Wall Street Journal. According to the report, billionaire telecom magnate Patrick Drahi may pay as much as €4 billion ($4.5 billion) as part of the agreement, which would see Bouygues SA split up its businesses. The first part of the plan, according to the report, would involve Orange SA buying Bouygues for €10 billion before selling off a large chunk of the company's fixed-line and mobile customers to SFR, which is France's second largest mobile operator and a subsidiary of Drahi's Altice NV. Iliad SA would then pay just over €2 billion to pick up Bouygues' spectrum, network and stores, the report said....