Virgin Media Set For European Rollout

Virgin Media Inc. (VMED) is poised to be rolled out across Europe after talks between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and overseas cable operators, according to The Times in London on Monday. It is understood that Virgin Group is in discussions with Numericable, France's largest cable operator, covering nine million households, about a deal to rebrand its service under the Virgin Media name, the newspaper said. Similar licensing deals with the Virgin Media brand are expected to follow in other European markets, The Times said. The French talks, which mark the latest in a series of international expansion moves by the Virgin empire, come amid unhappiness among some Virgin Media investors about the forced abandonment of its planned $23 billion sale, according to the newspaper. Virgin Media announced last week that its auction - triggered by an approach, in June, from Carlyle, the U.S. buyout group - had been delayed indefinitely because of the turmoil in the credit markets, The Times said.