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At the start of this month we reported that TalkTalk’s debt-strained consumer broadband division, which has been up for sale for a while, was now understood to be fielding interest from Opus Broadband, in addition to Vodafone and possibly others. The latest development is that investment firm Alchemy Partners is reportedly backing Opus to make a c.£250m bid for the ISP.
The development suggests that wireless ISP Opus Broadband (formerly 6G Internet), which is connected to UK network operator IX Wireless and Tahir Mohsan, may now be leading the effort to secure a deal to buy TalkTalk’s consumer business. But a formal agreement has yet to be struck and others, like Vodafone, are still potentially well-placed to make a more attractive offer.
According to Sky News, any transaction for TalkTalk’s consumer division, which is home to around 1.8 million broadband customers, would need to follow an agreement for the group to offload its wholesale network – PlatformX Communications (formerly Talk Talk Wholesale) – to Octopus Investments (the current front-runner for acquiring PXC), which controls broadband infrastructure group Fern Trading.