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| Pipex Communications plc: Acquisition of Bulldog’s broadband customer base Pipex Communications plc (PXC), (“Pipex”) a major provider of integrated telecommunications and internet solutions including broadband, voice, domain name registrations and hosting, announces the acquisition from Cable & Wireless of Bulldog’s residential and small business broadband customer base, website (www.bulldogbroadband.com), rights to the Bulldog brand and domain names, for a consideration of £12m in cash. Separately, Pipex has signed up to use Cable & Wireless’ unbundled local loop (LLU) access network, which will cover 800 exchanges. Pipex’s policy is to use a hybrid network which is a mixture of its own Local Loop Unbundling footprint and wholesale. Cable & Wireless fits extremely well into this mix. This acquisition brings the total broadband and voice customer base to 1,140,000 of which those taking broadband now exceeds 500,000. 90% of Bulldog’s 110,000 customers subscribe to a Broadband, voice and wholesale line rental package, which delivers an ARPU of £34 per month. Peter Dubens, Chairman of the Pipex Communications plc, said, “The acquisition of Bulldog brings further scale to the Pipex Group and we are delighted to welcome all the Bulldog customers. Cable & Wireless is a good addition to our supplier mix and going forward this relationship will add breadth to the choice of services that we are able to offer to all of our customers.” |