Telenor interested in bidding for HTCC stake

Norwegian operator Telenor has thrown its hat in the ring to bid for a 68% stake in US-listed alternative operator Hungarian Telephone and Cable Corporation (HTCC), the second largest local fixed line telecoms operator in Hungary, Dow Jones reports. HTCC, which markets itself under the Invitel banner, has around 700,000 customers; it acquired Invitel for EUR470 million (USD640 million) in early 2007. Dow Jones writes that the sale of the HTCC stake has attracted interest from the likes of private equity firms Mid Europa Partners and GMT Communications Partners, as well as Telenor, in the first round of bidding.