MADRID, 26 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
British authorities are examining under the National Security and Investment Act the transaction by which the French telecommunications group Altice, controlled by French-Israeli billionaire Patrick Drahi, increased its stake in BT from 12.1% to 18%.
“BT Group has received notice from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy that it has considered increasing by Altice UK its shareholding in BT Group from 12.1% to 18% under section 1 of the Investment and National Security Act of 2021”, the British company has reported, assuring that it will fully cooperate with this review.
Altice announced last December the increase in its stake in BT to 18%, which fueled expectations of a possible acquisition of the British operator and led the UK Government to warn that it could intervene to block a potential purchase. of the British telecommunications giant.
Altice UK had paid 2,200 million pounds sterling (2,581 million euros) in June 2021 for a 12.1% stake in BT, thus becoming the operator’s largest shareholder.