Vodafone Confirms Talks About Stake Sale In Verizon Wireless


The two companies also own a cross holding in Vodafone Italy, which could form part of the deal, with Verizon possibly selling its 23 percent back to Vodafone, which has 77 percent, sources told Bloomberg.

Charles Stanley analyst Tom Gidley-Kitchin said it was inevitable Verizon would make a serious approach.

"Vodafone doesn't have to sell, they are quite prepared to wait," he said. "I don't think Vittorio Colao is going to be bamboozled into selling at a sub-optimal price, so I think Verizon will understand they will have to pay closer to $130 billion."

Vodafone has changed its strategy from being a pure mobile operator, where revenues are under pressure from competition and regulation, to offering combined services such as television and fixed line broadband. To that end it has agreed to buy Kabel Deutschland for 7.7 billion euros.

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