Essent explores opportunities for sale of Kabelcom

Expansion is central to the strategy of Essent Kabelcom's business unit. After all, adequate expansion constitutes a condition to keeping pace with domestic competition - such as with KPN, for example, which has a network that provides nationwide coverage - and to continue preserving its leading role in technological developments.

Essent explores opportunities for sale of Kabelcom

Although Kabelcom has clearly expanded its position and performances in the recent past, one cannot help but conclude that - partly in view of the progressive consolidation of the telecom industry - the time is now ripe to take essential steps towards expansion. Essent is therefore set to explore the opportunities for incorporating or transferring its cable activities to a larger entity.

This step fits in with Essent's strategy to concentrate on its energy activities. Consequently, it stands to reason to transfer the Kabelcom business unit to an owner that is fully capable of realising the necessary expansion in the telecom market. And one that can also provide for a further strategic and commercial reinforcement of Kabelcom's position in the radio, TV, Internet and telephony industry.

Essent has invited a limited number of parties to submit a bid on the Kabelcom business unit. The entire process is expected to take a few months.

2 June 2006



About Essent Kabelcom
Essent Kabelcom is an important player in the Dutch cable sector. It is active in the areas of radio, TV, Internet and telephony, both for the consumer market and for the business sector. On a daily basis it reaches approximately five million people in the North, East and South of the Netherlands through 1.8 million cable connections. Essent Kabelcom is the second largest cable company in the Netherlands.

About Essent
With an annual turnover of 6.3 billion Euros in 2005, Essent is the largest energy company in the Netherlands. Essent is a producer, marketer and transporter of (green) electricity and natural gas. The company operates in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. It also serves as a large cable Internet provider. Essent's waste division transfers waste to energy and residuals. Essent has an employee force of 12,000.

Published: 02 June 2006