Merger Update : BT / TalkTalk

Public Interest Intervention Notice: BT / TalkTalk

On 5 October 2026, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (the Secretary of State) issued a public interest intervention notice (PIIN) on the existing public interest ground of public health emergency and new proposed public interest ground of preventing disruption to public services, critical national infrastructure, and supply to customers who are or may be vulnerable, in accordance with sections 42(2), 58(2E), and 58(3) of the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) in relation to the completed acquisition by BT Telecommunications Limited of TalkTalk Telecommunications Limited and PlatformX Communications Limited (the Transaction). 

The PIIN requires the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to report to the Secretary of State on jurisdictional and competition matters by 5:00pm on 19 October 2026. 

CMA Invitation to Comment: closes 9 October 2026. 

The CMA is required to investigate and submit a report to the Secretary of State on this Transaction in accordance with section 44 of the Act by 5:00pm on 19 October 2026. 

For the purposes of this report, the CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this Transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Act and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market(s) in the United Kingdom for goods or services. It will also include advice on the considerations relevant to the making of a reference under section 22 of the Act which are also relevant to the Secretary of State's decision, and a summary of any representations that the CMA received which relate to the public interest considerations specified in the PIIN and which are or may be relevant to the Secretary of State's decision. 

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on any competition or public interest issues from any interested party. 

These comments should be provided by 9 October 2026 to:

[email protected]  

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.

TITLE OF MERGER: Completed acquisition by British Telecommunications Limited of TalkTalk Telecommunications Limited and PlatformX Communications Limited