Belgacom considers move into the electricity business

Belgacom is looking for a new business venture to play in and it thinks that electricity could be the answer.

According to a report in Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, the former state-run telephone monopoly is carving out a deal to resell energy services from the country's electricity and gas supplier Lampiris. Along with reselling energy services, the report adds that Belgacom might even purchase a piece of Lampiris, a company that purchases electricity from other independent Belgian energy companies.

Belgacom's desire to get into the energy business seems to be a signal of an emerging trend of telecom operator's involvement in the electricity business.

Already in Europe and in the U.S., a number of established wireline (Qwest and AT&T) and wireless service providers (Sprint) are either considering providing an energy management service for consumers or providing backhaul network connectivity to the utilities themselves. Similar to Belgacom, U.S.-based competitive business service provider PAETEC Communications not only offers a range of energy and energy management services through its Energy Division, but it also just purchased New York-based Energy Partners.  

For more:
- Reuters has this article

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