HTCC signals private equity interest

HTCC, Hungary’s second-largest fixed-line telephony business, has attracted attention from several suitors, including CEE-focused private equity firm Mid Europa Partners, media specialist GMT Communications Partners and Norway’s Telenor.

HTTC is already part-owned by private equity through Danish telecom TDC’s 64% stake in the business. TDC was a controversial big European buyout for a consortium comprising Permira, Apax Partners, The Blackstone Group, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Providence Equity Partners in March 2006.

Swedish telecom Tele2 exited Hungary through the sale of Tele2Hungary to HTTC for approximately US$5.9m last July.

Telenor already operates a landline network in Norway and owns Hungarian mobile carrier Pannon.