Vodafone scrapped its bid today for a controlling stake in French group Cegetel owned by media giant Vivendi Universal.
Vodafone is now pinning its hopes on separate offers for two minority stakes in Cegetel to win control of the company.
Vodafone said in a statement its cash offer of €6.77 billion for Vivendi's 44 per cent stake in Cegetel had lapsed without being accepted.
Vodafone's agreed bids for a 26 per cent stake in Cegetel owned by BT Group of Britain and a 15 per cent interest owned by SBC Communications of the United States were still on the table, she said.
READ MORE
Vodafone shares were flat at 104.5p in London; Vivendi Universal was up 1.8 per cent at €12.58 in Paris in early trading.
AFP