Posted: 21st Mar, 2007 By: MarkJ
Though a sale is only one of the options open to
Pipex, that hasn't stopped
Virgin Media pitting itself as a front runner for the £335m broadband ISP:
Pipex's adviser, UBS, is believed to have asked for first-round bids by Friday for the business.
It hired the investment bank to consider its strategic options after receiving several expressions of interest, one of which is understood to have come from
Virgin Media, the former NTL/Telewest. The other significant approach is thought to be from BT Group.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper notes that
Virgin Media is looking to expand its coverage. Typically buying an existing ADSL provider may be a cheaper way of doing that than rolling out new cable. Presently Virgin is still mulling over the idea and all sides have refused to comment.