The independent telecommunications camps in Germany appear to be rapidly coalescing into two. RWE AG is now expected to join the Viag AG-British Telecommunications Plc camp (CI No 2,831), and yesterday it was announced that Mannesmann Eurokom GmbH and the Vebacom GmbH joint venture of Veba AG and Cable & Wireless Plc had decided that while they will not actually merge, they will create a joint venture to build a nationwide telecommunications network each will use to carry its own communications services. The network will comprise a high-speed fibre optic backbone and microwave links as well as broadband and cable television networks. Mannesmann AG’s Mannesmann Eurokom and Vebacom will hold equal stakes in the new company and have an equal number of seats on the board. Headquarters are to be in Hannover.
