Sky News has learnt that Gamma Communications, a significant player in Britain’s business telecoms market, has written to Ofcom, the industry regulator, to protest at the acquisition by BT of TalkTalk’s wholesale network, PXC.
BT swooped to buy TalkTalk out of administration last weekend after months of discussions with prospective buyers.
Epiris, the private equity firm which is in negotiations to acquire Gamma, had also been in advanced talks to acquire PXC and was seeking a waiver from BT of hundreds of millions of pounds owed by TalkTalk to the former state monopoly’s infrastructure arm, Openreach.
BT rejected the offer, paving the way for it to take control of TalkTalk itself.
Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, issued a public interest intervention notice (PIIN) because of the perceived risk to thousands of vulnerable customers who rely on TalkTalk broadband connections.
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The government’s move to clear the path to a BT takeover has infuriated rivals, with Virgin Media O2 writing to regulators to complain about the decision.
On Thursday, Opus Broadband, which had been trying to buy TalkTalk’s consumer arm, also made public a letter to Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, claiming that BT’s bosses could benefit from higher bonuses as a result of having the rescue deal waved through.
The Competition and Markets Authority is running a quick-fire investigation into the TalkTalk transaction, but is considered highly unlikely to intervene formally.
A Gamma spokesman declined to comment.
