Nexfibre Acquisition of Substantial - CMA Merger Inquiry
Summary
The CMA has launched a Phase 1 merger inquiry into nexfibre's anticipated acquisition of Substantial (including Netomnia, Brsk, Brsk ISP and YouFibre). The transaction involves Liberty Global, Telefónica, and InfraVia through their joint venture nexfibre acquiring Substantial. The CMA is inviting comments from any interested party on the impact the transaction could have on competition in the UK until 8 May 2026.
“The CMA is issuing this 'invitation to comment' to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK.”
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What changed
The CMA has opened a Phase 1 merger inquiry into nexfibre's proposed acquisition of Substantial, which includes broadband providers Netomnia, Brsk, Brsk ISP, and YouFibre. The transaction would combine Virgin Media O2-associated infrastructure (through nexfibre's owners Liberty Global, Telefónica, and InfraVia) with additional UK broadband assets.\n\nTelecommunications companies, investors, and other market participants with knowledge of the UK broadband market should consider submitting views on competitive implications to the CMA by 8 May 2026, as the inquiry's scope and outcome could affect the competitive landscape of UK telecommunications.
What to do next
- Written representations about any competition issues should be provided by 8 May 2026
- Please send written representations to nexfibre.substantial@cma.gov.uk
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
nexfibre / Substantial merger inquiry
The Competition and Markets Authourity (CMA) is seeking views on the anticipated acquisition by Liberty Global, Telefónica and InfraVia, through their joint venture nexfibre, of Substantial (including Netomnia, Brsk, Brsk ISP and YouFibre). Liberty Global and Telefónica are the joint owners of Virgin Media O2 and, together with InfraVia, joint owners of nexfibre.
From: Competition and Markets Authority Published 23 April 2026 Case type: Mergers Case state: Open Market sector: Telecommunications Opened: 23 April 2026
Statutory timetable
| Phase 1 | Action |
|---|---|
| TBC | Deadline for phase 1 decision |
| TBC | Launch of merger inquiry |
| 23 April 2026 to 8 May 2026 | Invitation to comment (*) |
(*) The CMA is inviting comments from any interested party. This case page will be updated when the CMA formally commences its phase 1 investigation.
Invitation to comment: closes 8 May 2026
The CMA is issuing this ‘invitation to comment’ to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK. The CMA has not yet launched its formal investigation into this transaction. This invitation to comment is the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process.
To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.
Written representations about any competition issues should be provided by 8 May 2026.
Pre-notification
The CMA has received the necessary information from the parties to commence pre notification.
Contact
Please send written representations about any competition issues to: nexfibre.substantial@cma.gov.uk
Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice.
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Published 23 April 2026
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