Vodafone's fixed lines in the Netherlands attract interest from T-Mobile and Fiber - report (translated)
T-Mobile Netherlands, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, is a candidate for the acquisition of Vodafone Netherlands' fixed line business, according to a report in Dutch-language De Telegraaf, which cited unnamed sources. Fiber is said to be another candidate for the business, the item added.
Vodafone Netherlands has to divest its 120,000 fixed line clients in Holland to mitigate competition authority concerns, after it announced plans to merge with Dutch telco Ziggo.
As Vodafone has to sell its fixed line operations, the deal value is likely to be in the tens of millions of euros and not hundreds of millions, the report added, citing an unnamed bank which works for Vodafone.
Investment firm Apollo, which is said to have been eyeing the Dutch telecoms market for a longer period, is not interested in the fixed line operations, the report noted. Previously, Apollo and Warburg Pincus were bidders for T-Mobile Netherlands, however, both bids came in too low, the report noted. Warburg is however still interested in T-Mobile Netherlands, the item added.
Deutsche Telekom is still hinting at its intention to sell T-Mobile Netherlands, the report noted. However, if T-Mobilie is successful at acquiring the Vodafone's fixed lines, it could opt to hold on to its Dutch subsidiary, the article said.
Warburg is interested to gain a foothold in the Dutch telecoms market and T-Mobile Netherlands is the only candidate that fits with its budget, the report noted. The company could also opt to acquire Vodafone's fixed line business in the Netherlands, before it eyes T-Mobile again, a source told the newspaper.
Both T-Mobile and Warburg Pincus would not respond to questions, the report noted.
de Telegraaf