Rapid TV News
Kabel BW open for merger
Jörn Krieger ©RapidTVNews | 10-03-2010
Germany’s third largest cable operator Kabel BW would be open for a merger with another cable company. “This is a strategic option,” CEO Harald Rösch said at a press conference in Stuttgart, adding that a regional operator such as Kabel BW, which only serves federal state Baden-Württemberg, would reach its limits.
Rösch did not elaborate on possible merger scenarios. This decision would be up to the company’s owner, Swedish private equity group EQT, he said. EQT, however, does not comment on the issue.
Since the take-over of Germany’s second-largest cable operator Unitymedia by Liberty Global there has been speculation the industry that the US-based media company could also purchase Kabel BW to expand its coverage area. But Liberty Global CTO Shane O’Neill recently ruled out any interest from Liberty in another German cabler, Kabel Deutschland.
Kabel BW serves around 2.3 million households in Baden-Württemberg while Unitymedia has around 4.5 million customers in North-Rhine Westphalia and Hessen.
© Rapid TV News 2010
