Not satisfied with Virgin Media and O2 merger, Liberty Global takes 5% Vodafone stake

Liberty Global has acquired a stake in British telecoms outfit Vodafone, but denied it has plans for a takeover bid. The US-based group is the parent company of Virgin Media, which merged with UK telco O2 in 2021. The multinational company has acquired 1.3 billion Vodafone shares, accounting for a 4.92 percent stake in the …

[katrinab]

I would have thought there was no chance of the Competition Commission allowing that, unless they agree to divest either O2 or Vodafone UK, and either Virgin Media or the fixed-line business of Vodafone UK (I believe that includes City Fibre, which is very definitely a competitor to Virgin).

Maybe it will be like when Vodafone took over Orange, they didn't even attempt to get Orange UK past the Competition Commission, they immediately offered it for sale.

[Anonymous Coward]

It will be why they've made it clear they won't be making a take over bid. There are 2 bigger shareholders with over 21% between them so they are in the clear

[Anonymous Coward]

CityFibre is owned by a number of investment firms and just provides wholesale FTTP access via their network to ISPs like Vodafone in a similar manner to how ISPs use the Openreach network.

[Anonymous Coward]

Lookout there is Liberty about

who will asset strip anything that they can get their hands on leaving a bare shell behind laden with debt when they check out after a few years.

Prepare yourself for a mobile phone system that will have zero investment and will fall father and farther behind the EU in terms of service offered.

Vermin are the worst ISP in my area. Almost zero investment since NTL wrecked the roads and pavements to put their coax in the ground.

[Anonymous Coward]

Behold the great merger years where in the end the customers benefit.

[jpennycook]

Maybe the ex-C&W people in what was NTL just want to buy the bit of C&W that Vodafone own. Certainly if Vodafone have fibre in the ground near Virgin Media's cabinets or O2's base stations, Liberty Global might think it can save money by owning a national fibre provider.

[Roland6]

>the bit of C&W that Vodafone own.

Satellites and international fibre network...

Parts of Vdf that don't get much publicity...

[PeterM42]

It's a variation of the Golden Rule"......

Whoever owns the fibre makes the money.