New Qwest Communications CEO Edward Mueller hasn't had much time to get used to his new post, but industry analysts are already suggesting that he take Qwest on an M&A binge.
Over the years, Qwest has been hounded by concerns about its relative isolation and its widely dispersed local customer base. When Qwest was having financial problems, it seemed unlikely the carrier would buy anyone, or that another carrier would buy Qwest. That could change now that the company is in a full recovery phase. It would be interesting to see what direction an M&A plan would take--a deal with a local exchange player, a data/carrier Ethernet specialist or a long-haul wholesaler are all possibilities.
Such action wouldn't fit with Mueller's early pledge to focus on revenue efforts and not change much else, but maybe Mueller will decide in the coming months that a different strategy is needed.
For more:
- Rocky Mountain News has more about the analysts' advice.