LONDON-U.K.-based cable company NTL Inc. has bid $1.4 billion for U.K. mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile, according to published reports.
Virgin Mobile confirmed in a statement today that it had received an offer from NTL “that may or may not lead to a formal offer being made for the company.” The bid appears to cover only Virgin Mobile in the United Kingdom and not Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C.
The deal would make NTL/Virgin the first company in the United Kingdom with the ability to bundle voice, data, video and wireless services. NTL acquired a smaller rival, Telewest, in October for about $6 billion. If NTL’s deals go through, the combined NTL/Telewest/Virgin Mobile company would have 3.3 million cable customers, 2.5 million broadband customers, 4.3 million voice customers and 5 million wireless customers.
The merged company is expected to take the Virgin name.
