The tangled web of mobile telecommunication mergers: Hutchison Whampoa, Telefonica and BT

摘要

Purpose - This paper aims to demonstrate how consolidation within Europe's mobile telecommunication markets requires willing buyers and sellers. Design/methodology/approach - After highlighting the resurgence in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in mobile telecommunications, the paper draws on a variety of secondary sources to analyse the strategies of three companies. Findings - The paper highlights the interwoven nature of the strategies of three companies: BT, Hutchison Whampoa and Telefonica. BT has returned to the mobile telecommunications market in the UK, with the company it did not acquire being purchased by Hutchison. As Hutchison implements a "double or quits" strategy in Europe, it has acquired operations from Telefonica, which, in turn, has exited most of its non-Spanish European operations to focus on Latin America. Research limitations/implications - The paper relies on secondary data and thus highlights the challenges of doing so and the need for more information regarding M&As to be in the public domain. Practical implications - There is a need to adopt a sector-wide or legional approach for analysing the strategies of telecommunication companies. Originality/value - The paper uniquely provides an overview of three corporate strategies to show how they interact with one another.