ATandT denies planning takeover bid for Vodafone

(MENAFN- AFP) US telecoms giant ATandT said on Monday that it was not planning to launch an offer for British mobile phone group Vodafone following fresh rumours of a mega bid. British media reports over the weekend said ATandT was looking into offering about £60 billion ($99 billion, 72 billion euros) for Vodafone following similar market speculation last year.But in a brief statement issued to the London Stock Market on Monday, ATandT said "that it does not intend to make an offer for Vodafone". Vodafone, the world's second-largest mobile operator by subscribers after China Mobile, agreed last year to sell its US joint-venture stake to partner Verizon for $130 billion in one of the biggest transactions in global corporate history.