▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁C GE ▁created ▁Ne uf ▁C eg et el ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁der eg ulation ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁tele communic ations ▁market , ▁acceler ating ▁the ▁move ▁into ▁the ▁media ▁sector ▁which ▁would ▁cul min ate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁de mer ger ▁into ▁Viv endi ▁Universal ▁and ▁Viv endi ▁En viron nement ▁( V e olia ). ▁ ▁Cre ation ▁of ▁" V iv endi " ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Comp ag nie ▁Gén éra le ▁des ▁E aux ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁Viv endi , ▁and ▁sold ▁off ▁its ▁property ▁and ▁construction ▁divisions ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁to ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁V inci ▁SA . ▁Viv endi ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁ac quire ▁st akes ▁in ▁or ▁merge ▁with ▁Mar oc ▁Tele com , ▁H avas , ▁C endant ▁Software , ▁Gru po ▁An aya , ▁and ▁Net Hold , ▁a ▁large ▁Cont inental ▁European ▁pay - TV ▁operator . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Viv endi ▁launched ▁digital ▁channels ▁in ▁Italy , ▁Spain , ▁Poland , ▁Sc and in avia , ▁Belg ium , ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Viv endi ▁merged ▁with ▁Path é , ▁the ▁exchange ▁ratio ▁for ▁the ▁mer ger ▁fixed ▁at ▁three ▁Viv endi ▁shares ▁for ▁every ▁two ▁Path é ▁shares . ▁The ▁Wall ▁Street ▁Journal ▁estimated ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁the ▁deal ▁at ▁US $ 2