The private equity owners of Swiss mobile operator Sunrise are reconsidering a merger with counterpart Orange.
Following a sale of Sunrise to private equity firm CVC, a first attempt to combine the two players was blocked by the Swiss cartel office in…
The private equity owners of Swiss mobile operator Sunrise are reconsidering a merger with counterpart Orange.
Following a sale of Sunrise to private equity firm CVC, a first attempt to combine the two players was blocked by the Swiss cartel office in 2010. Orange Switzerland was sold subsequently to Apax Partners in 2012.
Swiss publication Handelszeitung reported with reference to two unnamed sources that Sunrise believes the market environment had improved since cableco UPC Cablecom launched an MVNO in 2014. This had changed the competitive landscape and could therefore result in a more positive review by the antitrust authority.
Sunrise has declined to comment. However, its owners were reported in December last year to plan an exit within six to 18 months.
CVC bought Sunrise from Danish mobile operator TDC back in late 2010 for around SFr3.3bn (US$3.7bn). France Telecom sold Orange Switzerland to Apax in early 2012 for SFr1.83bn (US$2.1bn).
