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Telecom Italia talks to Vivendi on GVT counterbid - report
2014-08-08 08:55:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) Telecom Italia has entered direct talks with Vivendi over possible cooperation in Brazil, according to multiple reports. The negotiations follow Telefonica's bid for Vivendi's Brazilian operator GVT, for which it offered a stake in Telecom Italia as partial payment. Telecom Italia is in talks with Vivendi on its own bid for GVT and aims to at least match Telefonica's offer, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. The plan, which could be finalised over the next three weeks, would allow Vivendi to take a stake in Telecom Italia or in its unit TIM Brasil, which would be merged with GVT. Vivendi's pay-TV arm, Canal Plus, is also in talks to buy a majority stake in Italian rival Mediaset Premium, some of the sources said. The business could ultimately be folded into Telecom Italia, despite Telefonica's agreeing last month to buy 11 percent of Mediaset Premium for EUR 100 million. Bloomberg reports that talks on a possible alliance have taken place between Telecom Italia CEO Marco Patuano and Vivendi Chairman Vincent Bollore. Its sources said the talks were already under way before Telefonica made its offer for GVT.
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Category:Telecommunications