Vodafone, Wind Hellas end merger talks

Vodafone said it has ended talks with Largo Limited, the sole shareholder of Wind Hellas, on a potential business combination between Vodafone Greece and Wind Hellas. Vodafone first announced the talks last August. Recent press reports in Greece suggested the company was prepared for a 60-40 merger with the smaller rival. However a source familiar with the matter told the Financial Times that the deal was called off due to concerns of regulatory opposition. A merger would give the group almost 50 percent of the market and leave Greece with just two mobile network operators. The companies could still pursue talks on network sharing, the report said.