Merging incumbent European mobile operators: <IT>veni</IT>, <IT>vidi</IT>, non <IT>vici</IT>

Peter Curwen; Jason Whalley

doi:10.1108/14636690910970964

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ISSN: 1463-6697

Online from: 1999

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Merging incumbent European mobile operators: veni, vidi, non vici

Document Information:
Title:	Merging incumbent European mobile operators: veni, vidi, non vici
Author(s):	Peter Curwen, (Peter Curwen is Visiting Professor of Telecommunications, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK), Jason Whalley, (Senior Lecturer, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.)
Citation:	Peter Curwen, Jason Whalley, (2009) "Merging incumbent European mobile operators: veni, vidi, non vici", info, Vol. 11 Iss: 4, pp.34 - 52
Keywords:	Acquisitions and mergers, Europe, Mobile communication systems, Telecommunications
Article type:	Research paper
DOI:	10.1108/14636690910970964 (Permanent URL)
Publisher:	Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Acknowledgements:	Received 10 October 2008. Revised 13 February 2009. Accepted 18 February 2009
Abstract:	Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the history of, and prospects for, mergers between incumbent European mobile operators. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the history of proposals for mergers among incumbent mobile operators in Europe over the past two decades, but with a particular emphasis upon the period commencing in 2006. It examines the rationale for the proposals and analyses why, in virtually every case, the proposals failed to come to fruition. Findings – The paper argues that there are a set of road blocks that bar the way to realising inter-incumbent mergers, and that these are by no means all economic. Given that the environment for M&A activity was relatively positive during 2006/2007, yet nothing much was achieved, it now seems likely that in the febrile environment of the 2008/2009 credit crunch, the topic will return to the backburner. Originality/value – This paper is the first detailed attempt to address this topic.