Vodafone reportedly mulling Kabel Deutschland deal again

Vodafone is reportedly taking a second look at German cable operator Kabel Deutschland, following reports in February that it had shelved plans to approach the firm with an acquisition offer.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Vodafone recently held acquisition talks with Kabel Deutschland and has revived its evaluation of a possible takeover. However, the report, which cites unnamed sources, said that Vodafone is yet to decide when or whether to bid.

The news comes after Vodafone Deutschland last month signed a preliminary contract with Deutsche Telekom that will enable it to deliver services including IPTV over Telekom’s fibre network. The deal will see Vodafone share the investment risk of Telekom’s fibre rollout.

Earlier this year, Vodafone reportedly put on hold its plan to approach Kabel Deutschland after news of the possible bid was leaked. In April, shares in the firm rose sharply on reports that Liberty Global may instead be preparing a bid for the leading German cable operator.