Verizon and BT Group Form Joint Venture for International Business

Verizon 與 BT Group 成立合資公司發展國際業務

Jun 29, 2026, 09:02
GlobalFinance

Introduction

Verizon Communications Inc. and BT Group Plc have announced that they are creating a joint venture to combine their international business units.

Verizon Communications Inc. 與 BT Group Plc 宣布，將成立一家合資公司，以整合兩家公司的國際業務部門。

Main Body

The new company is currently waiting for regulatory approval. Once established, it will combine international operations to earn an estimated $4 billion in annual revenue, serving more than 3,000 clients in about 180 different countries. To ensure that both companies have equal voting rights in the 50/50 partnership, Verizon has agreed to pay BT $625 million. The venture will be based in the United Kingdom, registered in Jersey, and led by Martijn Blanken.

新公司目前正等待監管部門批准。一旦成立，它將整合國際業務，預計年收入將達到 40 億美元，服務約 180 個不同國家的 3,000 多個客戶。為了確保兩家公司在 50/50 的合夥關係中擁有平等的投票權，Verizon 已同意向 BT 支付 6.25 億美元。該合資公司將總部位於英國，在澤西島註冊，並由 Martijn Blanken 領導。

This decision follows a period of restructuring for both companies. For BT, the deal allows the company to focus more on its main UK strategy. CEO Allison Kirkby wants to sell international assets that are expensive to maintain and offer low profits. Similarly, Verizon CEO Dan Schulman is focusing on simplifying operations and selling underperforming assets, while also reducing the workforce by approximately 20%.

此決定是在兩家公司經歷重組期後做出的。對於 BT 而言，這項交易讓公司能更專注於其英國主戰場策略。執行長 Allison Kirkby 希望出售維護成本高且利潤低的國際資產。同樣地，Verizon 執行長 Dan Schulman 正專注於簡化營運並出售表現不佳的資產，同時將員工數削減約 20%。

Regarding the financial impact, BT has lowered its sales forecast for 2027. The company now expects adjusted group revenue to be between £17.1 billion and £17.6 billion because the international unit is no longer considered a core part of the business. Market analysts have described the deal as a positive move for BT, noting that the payment from Verizon suggests the business was valued highly.

關於財務影響，BT 下調了 2027 年的銷售預測。由於國際部門不再被視為核心業務，公司目前預計調整後集團收入將在 171 億英鎊至 176 億英鎊之間。市場分析師將此交易描述為 BT 的積極舉措，並指出 Verizon 支付的款項顯示該業務獲得了高度評價。

Conclusion

Both companies will continue to operate independently until the regulatory approval process is complete.

在監管批准程序完成之前，兩家公司將繼續獨立運作。

Vocabulary Learning

🚀 The 'Power Shift': From Basic Descriptions to Business Precision

At the A2 level, you say: 'The company is changing.' At the B2 level, you say: 'The company is undergoing restructuring.'

Notice how the article avoids simple words like 'change' or 'fix.' Instead, it uses Nominalization—turning actions (verbs) into concepts (nouns). This is the 'secret sauce' of B2 fluency.

🔍 The Anatomy of a B2 Upgrade

Look at these three shifts found in the text:

  1. Action →\rightarrow Concept

    • A2: They are organizing the company again. →\rightarrow B2: Restructuring.
    • A2: They want to make things simpler. →\rightarrow B2: Simplifying operations.

  2. Vague →\rightarrow Specific

    • A2: The business is not doing well. →\rightarrow B2: Underperforming assets.
    • A2: The money they make. →\rightarrow B2: Annual revenue.

  3. Basic Connection →\rightarrow Strategic Link

    • A2: They are working together. →\rightarrow B2: Joint venture / 50/50 partnership.

💡 Pro Tip: The 'Professional' Filter

To move toward B2, stop using generic verbs like do, get, make, or change when talking about work.

Try this substitution logic:

  • Instead of 'get approval', use 'await regulatory approval'.
  • Instead of 'selling things', use 'selling assets'.
  • Instead of 'the main part', use 'a core part of the business'.

The B2 Mantra: Don't just describe what is happening; describe the category of what is happening.

Vocabulary Learning

joint venture (n.)
A business arrangement in which two or more parties agree to pool their resources for the purpose of accomplishing a specific task.
Example:The two tech giants formed a joint venture to develop a new artificial intelligence platform.
regulatory (adj.)
Relating to the rules and regulations set by an official authority to control a particular activity.
Example:The merger cannot proceed until it receives regulatory approval from the government.
restructuring (n.)
The act of organizing a company or system in a different way to make it more efficient.
Example:The company underwent a major restructuring to reduce costs and improve productivity.
assets (n.)
Useful or valuable things, people, or properties that a company owns.
Example:The firm decided to sell its overseas assets to raise more capital.
underperforming (adj.)
Not working as well or producing as many results as expected.
Example:The manager decided to replace the underperforming software with a more modern system.
forecast (n.)
A prediction of future events, especially regarding financial trends or weather.
Example:The economic forecast suggests that inflation will decrease by the end of the year.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→