Telecom M&A news: telecom mergers and acquisitions in 2026
Every telecom merger, acquisition, take-private and carve-out we have verified in 2026, newest first. Updated every morning.
SpaceX → Grain Management (800 MHz spectrum portfolio)$8bnGrupo Televisa and Fintech Holdings → AT&T Mexico$2bnCPS Comunicaciones S.A. (Metrotel) → Telefónica Móviles Argentina customer base and assets (from Telecom Argentina)$450mfreenet AG → Exaring AG (waipu.tv) – remaining c.25%$85mPrysmian (80%) and Fincantieri (20%) joint venture → Xtera$65mBouygues Telecom, Free-iliad Group and Orange → SFR (Altice France assets)$24bnPoste Italiane S.p.A. → Telecom Italia S.p.A. (TIM)$12.5bnAmazon.com, Inc. → Globalstar, Inc.$11.6bnRocket Lab Corporation → Iridium Communications Inc.$8bnVodafone Group Plc → VodafoneThree (CK Hutchison's 49% stake)$5.8bnBharti Airtel Limited → Airtel Africa plc (16.31% stake)$2.9bnnexfibre → Substantial Group (Netomnia)$2.7bn
26Deals tracked
$84.5bnDisclosed value
$24bnLargest deal
11Completed
Telecom M&A news: telecom mergers and acquisitions in 2026
- 15 Oct 2026WaveDivision-led group agrees to buy EarthLinkWaveDivision Capital, Stephens Capital Partners and The Pritzker Organization → EarthLinkTelecom / Internet servicesAgreedUndisclosed
- 15 Oct 2026TNS acquires netnumber in Abry Partners exitTNS (Transaction Network Services) → netnumber (from Abry Partners)Telecom / Number intelligenceAnnouncedUndisclosed
- 14 Oct 2026Telecom Argentina sells 6m mobile customers to Metrotel for US$450mCPS Comunicaciones S.A. (Metrotel) → Telefónica Móviles Argentina customer base and assets (from Telecom Argentina)Telecom / MobileAgreed$450m
- 13 Oct 2026AT&T agrees US$2bn sale of Mexican mobile unit to Televisa and FintechGrupo Televisa and Fintech Holdings → AT&T MexicoTelecom / Mobile operatorAgreed$2bn
- 13 Oct 2026freenet takes full control of waipu.tv for €76mfreenet AG → Exaring AG (waipu.tv) – remaining c.25%Telecom / IPTVCompleted$85m
- 13 Oct 2026Prysmian and Fincantieri complete $65m Xtera dealPrysmian (80%) and Fincantieri (20%) joint venture → XteraTelecom / Submarine cable systemsCompleted$65m
- 13 Oct 2026Nokia sells Enterprise Campus Edge unit to AURELIUSAURELIUS → Nokia Enterprise Campus EdgeTelecom / Private wireless networksAgreedUndisclosed
- 8 Oct 2026SpaceX agrees to buy Grain's 800 MHz airwaves for Starlink MobileSpaceX → Grain Management (800 MHz spectrum portfolio)Telecom / Wireless spectrumAgreed$8bn
- 5 Oct 2026United Internet lifts 1&1 stake to 89% in €850m debt-for-equity swapUnited Internet → 1&1 AG (new shares)TelecomsAgreedUndisclosed
- 2 Oct 2026Claro closes R$1.75bn Desktop purchaseClaro (America Movil) → DesktopTelecomCompleted$335m
- 17 Aug 2026Deutsche Telekom agrees €1bn deal for Fiberhost and INEADeutsche Telekom AG → Fiberhost and INEATelecom / Fibre broadbandAgreed$1.2bn
- 29 Jun 2026Rocket Lab agrees US$8bn deal for IridiumRocket Lab Corporation → Iridium Communications Inc.Telecom / Satellite communicationsAgreed$8bn
- 10 Jun 2026Telenor agrees NOK2.5bn deal for fibre operator EnivestTelenor ASA → Enivest ASTelecom / Fibre broadbandAgreed$264m
- 13 May 2026Bharti Airtel swaps INR282bn of shares for bigger Airtel Africa stakeBharti Airtel Limited → Airtel Africa plc (16.31% stake)Telecom / Mobile operatorsCompleted$2.9bn
- 12 May 2026Verdane takes half of Telenor Connexion at SEK 7.5bn valueVerdane → Telenor Connexion (50% stake)Telecom / IoT connectivityCompleted$500m
- 5 May 2026Vodafone agrees £4.3bn buyout of CK Hutchison's VodafoneThree stakeVodafone Group Plc → VodafoneThree (CK Hutchison's 49% stake)Telecom / Mobile networksCompleted$5.8bn
- 17 Apr 2026Bouygues, Iliad and Orange agree €20.35bn carve-up of SFRBouygues Telecom, Free-iliad Group and Orange → SFR (Altice France assets)Telecom / Mobile and fixed networksIn review$24bn
- 14 Apr 2026Amazon agrees to buy Globalstar to take on Starlink in phone satellite linksAmazon.com, Inc. → Globalstar, Inc.Telecom / Satellite communicationsIn review$11.6bn
- 22 Mar 2026Poste Italiane bids €10.8bn for control of Telecom ItaliaPoste Italiane S.p.A. → Telecom Italia S.p.A. (TIM)Telecom / Fixed and mobile operatorCompleted$12.5bn
- 11 Mar 2026Stonepeak to take control of Google Fiber in Astound mergerStonepeak (via Astound Broadband) → GFiber (formerly Google Fiber)Telecom / Fibre broadbandAgreedUndisclosed
- 18 Feb 2026nexfibre agrees £2bn deal for Netomnia owner Substantial Groupnexfibre → Substantial Group (Netomnia)Telecom / Fibre broadbandIn review$2.7bn
- 18 Feb 2026Liberty Global takes full control of VodafoneZiggoLiberty Global Ltd. → VodafoneZiggo (Vodafone's 50% stake)Telecom / Cable and mobileCompleted$1.2bn
- 18 Feb 2026Superloop agrees A$165m deal for Lightning BroadbandSuperloop Limited → Lynham Networks Pty Ltd (Lightning Broadband)Telecom / Fibre broadbandCompleted$117m
- 17 Feb 2026MTN agrees US$2.2bn deal to take full control of IHS TowersMTN Group Limited → IHS Holding Limited (IHS Towers)Telecom / Tower infrastructureIn review$2.2bn
- 11 Feb 2026Aussie Broadband agrees A$115m share deal for AGL's telco armAussie Broadband Limited → AGL Energy – telecommunications business (AGL Telco)Telecom / Broadband and mobileCompleted$82m
- 27 Jan 2026Millicom wins auction for EPM's stake in Tigo ColombiaMillicom International Cellular S.A. → UNE EPM Telecomunicaciones S.A. (Tigo Colombia)Telecom / Fixed and mobile operatorCompleted$571m