Vodafone Group could benefit from a merger with Liberty Global, according to a report in Barron’s, which added the British telecommunications company’s shares could also be poised for a 33% rise.

After spending the past decade consolidating the European cable industry, US billionaire John Malone is to do the same in Latin America.

Talks between Vodafone and Liberty Global about exchanging assets to better compete in Europe’s converging mobile, broadband, and TV markets collapsed yesterday because they could not agree on the value of their businesses.

UPC, one of the country's leading broadband and entertainment companies, announced plans today to rebrand under the Virgin Media banner.

European cable operator Liberty Global said yesterday it had raised its stake in ITV to 9.9% through a hedging deal — but still had no intention of taking over Britain’s biggest free-to-air commercial TV firm.

Global communications giant Liberty Global, owner of television cable company UPC Ireland, has struck a deal to buy broadcaster TV3 for €87m, a development that will stiffen competition for RTÉ and the troubled fledgling station UTV Ireland.

TV3 is to be sold to UPC, pending regulatory approval.

TV3 may be be valued at well over €100m if US cable giant Liberty Global decides to follow through and acquire the Irish television channel, according to senior sources.