BT agrees to acquire Brightview

UK incumbent fixed line carrier BT has acquired the internet service provider Brightview for about £15.8m subject to approval from the ISP’s shareholders.

Brightview has around 62,000 broadband customers and generated revenues of £11.0m and Ebitda of £3m in the year ended 30th June 2006. Brightview operates the ISP brands Madasafish, Global Internet and Waitrose ISP. It is likely that BT will not seek to dilute what are fairly strong consumer brands with the BT label.

The consumer ISP is also working with John Lewis Partnership to launch its new ISP and telephony service under the GreenBee brand.

The blogosphere reckons the Brightview deal indicates BT will not now pursue Pipex as had previously been rumoured. The smart money says Tiscali will.

Ian Livingston, BT Retail chief executive, said: “BT already provides the UK’s most popular and best-performing ADSL broadband service. This acquisition will ensure that Brightview’s customers can benefit from our market-leading services, resources and technology development as well as the excellent customer service they’re already receiving.”