Liberty Global Signals U.K. Expansion With New Broadband Unit
Liberty Global Signals U.K. Expansion With New Broadband Unit
(Bloomberg) --
Liberty Global Plc has applied to Britain’s communications regulator for the right to build a broadband service, suggesting John Malone is laying the groundwork for expansion in the company’s key market.
The company’s new Liberty Networks unit asked Ofcom on Dec. 12 for powers “to facilitate the construction and operation of a high-speed broadband network across the U.K.”
The division is “willing to provide wholesale access to its electronic communications network to other telecoms providers on commercial terms,” according to a document published Tuesday.
The offer of wholesale access would see Liberty Networks go head-to-head with the dominant fixed-line network of BT Group Plc in the competitive market selling broadband internet capacity to companies such as Sky. Liberty’s Virgin Media business already has a cable network across half of the country but currently offers no significant wholesale access.
The development of Britain’s fiber-optic networks is accelerating as the government and regulator encourage firms to replace slower copper connections with glass-based broadband equipment.
The activity is also sparking a flurry of deals. Earlier on Tuesday, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Antin Infrastructure Partners bought a fiber optic unit from TalkTalk Telecom Group Plc. KKR & Co Inc and Macquarie Group Ltd have also been investing in the networks.
Liberty Global and Virgin Media did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Seal in London at tseal@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rebecca Penty at rpenty@bloomberg.net, Jennifer Ryan, Thomas Pfeiffer
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