LBTYA Liberty Global Ltd

   By Nick Kostov in Barcelona and Simon Zekaria in London 
 

Vodafone Group PLC (VOD.LN) Chief Executive Vittorio Colao said on Wednesday he doesn't rule out the U.K. telecommunications provider re-starting talks with U.S. cable giant Liberty Global PLC (LBTYA) over a potential swap of assets.

"In life, never say never," said Mr. Colao, speaking at a telecoms, media and technology summit in Barcelona, when asked if Vodafone would re-visit negotiations with Liberty.

Mr. Colao said he would be ready to agree on a deal with Liberty Global if he thought it could provide value for the U.K. company, but added: "Today, that is not the case."

Liberty Global declined to comment.

In June, Vodafone said it launched talks with Liberty--a U.S.-based cable operator controlled by Chairman John Malone and focused on European markets--over an "exchange of selected assets," throwing the two European powerhouses back into the center of a frenzy of European television and communications deal-making.

Vodafone, based in Newbury, England, didn't provide details of the discussions.

Liberty Global, with headquarters in both Englewood, Colo., and London, operates in some of Europe's biggest markets, including Germany, the Netherlands and the U.K., where it owns cable group Virgin Media Inc. Most of Vodafone's profit and sales also come from the continent, with a focus on Germany, Italy and Spain.

In September, Vodafone said it ended talks with Liberty, without elaborating. Tuesday, Mr. Colao signaled the companies failed to agree on value.

Vodafone has previously ruled out discussions with Liberty over a full-blown merger.

Write to Nick Kostov at nick.kostov@wsj.com and Simon Zekaria at simon.zekaria@wsj.com

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 11, 2015 13:14 ET (18:14 GMT)

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