Deficom and Apax to acquire Numericable in Belgium and Luxembourg

A group of local investment companies has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire the cable operations of Numericable in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Deficom Telecom, a new company grouping together Deficom and Luxembourg-based investment group Altice, and private-equity group Apax, have entered into negotiations to acquire Numericable Belgique/Luxembourg.

The cable operator, which has been operating under the Numericable name in the two countries since 2008, has doubled its revenues and increased its operating income fivefold since 2003 thanks to the successful marketing of triple-play services and digital TV. It is the main player in the Brussels region and accounts for about 25% of the Luxembourg cable market. The company said that operational links with Numericable France would be maintained under the new ownership structure.

Phillippe Lhomme, president of Deficom, said that the acquisition would enable Numericable to accelerate its growth in the two countries and, in particular, to develop new opportunities in partnership with other local operator partners in Luxembourg.