KCOM, Manx Telecom and CityFibre have all been taken private on lofty valuations, while Sir Charles Dunstone, the founder of TalkTalk, is seeking outside funding for a broadband challenger to BT. Private sector firms are talking profits in altnet , as the pace at which homes and businesses are swapping copper broadband lines with fibre - optic cables accelerates and Boris Johnson announces plans for national full - fibre coverage ahead of the government ’s current target . Deals in the sector have accelerated with firms including CityFibre , KCOM and Manx Telecom being taken private . Meanwhile TalkTalk searches for external investment to fund its broadband business , Inflexon has asked bankers to explore the sale of Glide , and KKR has mandated Morgan Stanley to sell its controlling stake in Deutsche Glasfaser . Elsewhere , Warburg Pincus is seeking a buyers for Orange , and broadband provider Covage is one of a few assets being sold in France .
Private sector firms are talking profits in altnet , as the pace at which homes and businesses are swapping copper broadband lines with fibre - optic cables accelerates and Boris Johnson announces plans for national full - fibre coverage ahead of the government ’s current target . Deals in the sector have accelerated with firms including CityFibre , KCOM and Manx Telecom being taken private . Meanwhile TalkTalk searches for external investment to fund its broadband business , Inflexon has asked bankers to explore the sale of Glide , and KKR has mandated Morgan Stanley to sell its controlling stake in Deutsche Glasfaser . Elsewhere , Warburg Pincus is seeking a buyers for Orange , and broadband provider Covage is one of a few assets being sold in France .