朱莉娅·莫普尔戈和伊琳·加西亚·佩雷斯报道，熟悉情况的人士称，Virgin Media O2的一些最大债权人在英国监管机构对一项可能为公司提供急需现金的交易提出担忧后，已向Milbank LLP寻求法律建议。
By Giulia Morpurgo and Irene García Pérez Some of Virgin Media O2’s biggest creditors are getting legal advice from Milbank LLP after a UK regulator flagged concerns over a deal that would have provided the company with much-needed cash, according to people familiar with the matter.
熟悉情况的人士称，贝莱德公司、太平洋投资管理公司和Sona资产管理公司已聘请该律所就后续步骤提供建议，原因是英国竞争与市场管理局表示，如果Virgin Media的合资企业Nexfibre Networks Ltd.继续推进收购竞争对手Netomnia Ltd.的计划，竞争可能会下降。这些人士要求匿名，以讨论私人信息。
BlackRock Inc., Pacific Investment Management Co. and Sona Asset Management have tapped the law firm to advise on next steps after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority said competition could decline if Nexfibre Networks Ltd. — a Virgin Media joint venture — went through with its plan to acquire rival Netomnia Ltd., the people familiar said, asking not to be named discussing private information.
自临时决定提出后，Virgin Media的债券已深陷困境，因人们对该收购能否完成产生怀疑。该交易本可为公司带来约10亿英镑（13亿美元）的现金。
Virgin Media’s bonds have plunged deep into distressed territory since the provisional decision raised doubts that the acquisition would close. It would have pulled in about £1 billion ($1.3 billion) of cash from the deal.
熟悉情况的人士称，Milbank的职责范围仅限于涉及CMA的情况。监管机构必须在12月15日前对此交易作出最终决定。
The scope of Milbank’s mandate is limited to the situation involving the CMA, the people familiar said. The regulator must make a final decision on the deal by Dec. 15.
Virgin Media、Sona、贝莱德和PIMCO的发言人均拒绝置评。Milbank的代表未能立即回应置评请求。
Spokespeople for Virgin Media, Sona, BlackRock and Pimco declined to comment. A representative for Milbank didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.
对Virgin Media而言，另一次打击来自BT集团股份有限公司最近收购TalkTalk，这一举动威胁要扩大其最大竞争对手之一的客户群。
In another blow to Virgin Media, BT Group Plc recently acquired TalkTalk, a move that threatens to expand the customer base of one of its largest competitors.
在上周与投资者的会议中，Liberty Global Ltd.的管理层重申，其重点是降低Virgin Media的220亿英镑债务负担。Liberty Global与Telefonica SA共同拥有Virgin Media。管理层还强调了保持公司进入资本市场渠道以资助其业务的必要性。
In meetings with investors last week, management of Liberty Global Ltd. — which co-owns Virgin Media with Telefonica SA — reiterated that its focus is on reducing Virgin Media’s £22 billion debt load. It also emphasized the need to preserve the company’s access to capital markets to fund its business.