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Virgin's takeover of Daisy could trigger merger wave
The Observer
|May 18, 2025
Virgin Media O2's proposed takeover of Daisy Group could unleash a splurge of telecoms mergers as the sector struggles with the commoditisation of core services, price competition and the need for continuous infrastructure investment.
The acquisition, which would create a challenger to BT Group with annual sales of £1.4bn, was unveiled amid speculation that Virgin Media O2 could be fully acquired by its 50% owner, Telefónica of Spain.
A wave of attempted mergers has long been forecast in Europe, where there are 41 mobile operators with more than 500,000 customers. Norway’s Telenor said in the Financial Times last month that it was exploring acquisitions, while Telefónica has said that it would be open to options in markets including Spain, Germany and Britain.
This story is from the May 18, 2025 edition of The Observer.
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