Telecoms/Media: Altice UK increases its stake in BT to 18%

Altice UK, an entity created by the French-Moroccan businessman Patrick Drahi (Altice Europe including SFR and RMC Sport, Altice USA) in June 2021, has increased its stake in BT, a British telecommunications operator, to 18%, on 14/12/2021.

Altice UK became BT's largest shareholder after acquiring a 12.1% stake on 10/06/2021.

"We continue to hold them in high regard and remain fully supportive of their strategy, principally to play the pivotal role in delivering the expansion of access to a full fiber broadband network; an investment programme which is so important to both BT and to the UK," explained Patrick Drahi, on 14/12/2021.

"We are monitoring the situation carefully. The Government is committed to levelling up the country through digital infrastructure, and will not hesitate to act if required to protect our critical national telecoms infrastructure," said a spokesperson for the British government. Patrick Drahi has said that he has no intention of taking control of the UK operator.

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