A report in the Sunday Telegraph, speculates that Vodafone, the UK’s largest mobile operator, may place a bid for Tiscali’s broadband operation in the UK.
The possible move by Vodafone would allow it to rival Orange’s expected plan to give its mobile subscribers free broadband access through its sister company Wanadoo. Earlier this month, NTL, the cable company, bought Virgin Mobile, which allows it to provide fixed-line and mobile telephony, broadband and Pay TV. This combined offering has become known in marketing terms as the ‘quadruple play’.
Other players, such as BT and the Carphone Warehouse, Europe’s largest mobile phone retailer, have already begun offering their customers mobile and fixed-line telephony with broadband.
Vodafone has declined to comment on the speculation, but given competitor appetite for the quadruple play, it would be logical to think that Vodafone’s purchase of a broadband business is only a matter of time.
[ Source: Sunday Telegraph ]
