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Liberty to acquire German cable firm for $4.5 billion
MUMBAI: Liberty Global has entered into an agreement to acquire Kabel BW Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, the third largest cable TV operator in Germany controlled by EQT Funds IV and V.
Liberty Global will acquire KBW through a series of transactions for a total consideration of nearly $4.48 billion, excluding transaction costs. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second half of 2011.
Liberty Global president and chief executive officer Mike Fries says, “(After this deal) Germany will become our largest European market and a key driver for continued innovation in next generation broadband and digital TV services. In addition, we strongly believe that this will enhance competition in the German marketplace and provide significant benefits to customers who are increasingly demanding faster and more reliable access to broadband services.”
Goldman Sachs and Freshfields are advising Liberty Global in connection with this acquisition.
EQT has decided that KBW and its holding company will immediately undergo a recapitalisation, in which it is targeting to issue approximately $3.19 billion in new debt financing. The new capital structure will be assumed by LGI upon completion of the transaction.
Fries also said that this deal will give Liberty further access to one of the fastest-growing cable markets in Europe.
Fries concluded, “We are impressed by the successful business built by KBW’s management team and by their dedication to excellence across all areas of their operation. KBW is well-positioned for continued growth and will complement our existing European operations, as we look to leverage the scale of our global platform for the benefit of German consumers and create long-term value for our shareholders.”
KBW provides television, broadband Internet and telephony services in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg.
As of 31 December 2010, KBW’s broadband communications network passed 3.7 million homes and served 2.4 million customers who subscribed to 3.9 million basic cable, pay TV, telephony and broadband Internet services.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
