Netia to see ownership shuffle

Polish triple-play provider Netia has tasked Morgan Stanley with finding a new investor to replace stakes currently held by two private equity funds, rpkom reports. Morgan Stanley is looking for a financial or industry investor to purchase the shares owned by Third Avenue and Sisu Capital, which held stakes of 17.87% and 11.48% respectively at end-2012. Innova Capital and Blackstone have been pegged as potential buyers. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Netia has battled US-backed UPC Poland to maintain its second-place position in the market. The telco has suffered recently from falling subscriber numbers, caused largely by steady losses in the fixed telephony segment and intense competition in the broadband sector.