- BT Group (BT -0.6%) is keeping up the pressure in its response to a strategic review by UK telecom regulator Ofcom, saying that there's no case for divesting its Openreach wholesale access business -- a move it says would hurt the UK's "digital health" -- and pointing regulators instead toward the dominance of pay-TV rival Sky (OTCPK:SKYAY -0.9%).
- The regulator is conducting its first strategic review of the sector in 10 years amid some key and rapid change.
- BT in February agreed to a $19B acquisition of EE, the UK's top mobile firm, raising vocal calls from competitors (especially Vodafone) over network access. Liberty Global (LBTYA +0.3%) and Vodafone (VOD +0.3%) discussed -- and then dropped -- a merger or asset swap in Europe. And the UK's second- and fourth-largest mobile firms are pursuing a $15.7B merger.
- This summer, a determined BT CEO Gavin Patterson threatened the specter of a decade of litigation over Openreach if the company were forced to unload it. Now it says that the existing "functional separation" of its units has served the UK "exceptionally well over the past decade."
- Elsewhere, Citigroup today reiterated its Neutral rating on BT Group.
- Previously: BT Group up as Societe Generale reiterates Buy rating (Sep. 23 2015)
- Previously: BT Group recommits to 10M homes with ultrafast broadband by 2020 (Sep. 22 2015)
- Previously: Vodafone, rivals renew call for BT Openreach split (Sep. 21 2015)