Editing Vodafone Netherlands (section)

==History==
[[File:Logo of Libertel.svg|thumb|Logo of the original company]]
Libertel was founded in September 1995 with financial backing from [[Nationale-Nederlanden]] (NN) to compete with [[KPN]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/economie/het-lange-lijden-van-libertel~b4c254ec/|title=Het lange lijden van Libertel|date=14 January 2003|website=de Volkskrant|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref> Libertel was the second company in the Netherlands to get a license for offering GSM services (after [[PTT Telecom]]).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/mobiele-telefonie-libertel-duikt-fors-onder-prijzen-ptt-telecom~b0ee855a/|title=Mobiele telefonie Libertel duikt fors onder prijzen PTT Telecom|date=21 September 1995|website=de Volkskrant|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mobilecowboys.nl/b/vodafone-libertel-15-jaar-in-nederland?bid=50800|title=Vodafone (Libertel) 15 jaar in Nederland {{!}} MobileCowboys.nl|date=30 September 2010|website=www.mobilecowboys.nl|language=nl|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref>

The corporate structure started with a holding partnership named ''CV Gemeenschapplijk Bezit Libertel'' containing three wholly owned subsidiaries: Libertel Groep B.V. (the holding company), Libertel B.V. (the cellular network operator), and Liberfone BV (the service provider).<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vodafone.com/content/dam/vodafone/investors/20f/1997_20-f.pdf|title=Vodafone Group - Annual Report 1996/97|date=March 31, 1997|pages=15, 68}}</ref>

The six original shareholders were [[ING Group|ING]], Vodafone, [[Vendex]], Liof, Internatio-Müller, and Macintosh Retail Group.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.trouw.nl/home/beursgang-libertel-brengt-ing-miljarden~a65dea90/|title=Beursgang Libertel brengt ING miljarden|date=1 June 1999|website=Trouw|language=nl-NL|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref> In early 1998, Vendex and Liof both sold their shares for 120 million [[Dutch guilder|guilders]]. Internatio-Müller and Macintosh each sold their shares for 48 million guilders.<ref name=":3" /> By the end of 1998, ING lowered its share from 52% to 30%, leaving Vodafone with 70%.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/904255/0001047469-99-015815.txt|title=DEFM14A {{!}} AIRTOUCH COMMUNICATIONS INC|date=1999-04-22|website=[[SEC.gov]]}}</ref>

=== Vodafone acquisition ===
In June 1999, Libertel [[Initial public offering|went public]] on the [[Amsterdam Stock Exchange]] as Libertel NV (ticker symbol: LTEL).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/containers/fix033/839923/0000891836-99-000684.txt|title=Form 6K {{!}} VODAFONE AIRTOUCH plc|date=3 September 1999|website=[[SEC.gov]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vodafone.com/content/dam/vodafone/investors/20f/1999_20-f.pdf|title=Form 20-F SEC filing {{!}} VODAFONE AIRTOUCH plc|date=June 30, 1999}}</ref> Following the IPO, ING retained 5% (down from 30%) while Vodafone's share of 70% remained unchanged. In 2000, Vodafone changed the brand name for Libertel to "Libertel-Vodafone".<ref name=":2" />

In 2002, Libertel-Vodafone was rebranded to "Vodafone" and saw major branding changes by the Vodafone Group.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> Other Vodafone subsidiaries also went through a similar transition, aiming to establish the first global mobile telecommunications company with a familiar 'look and feel' throughout the world.

Vodafone Group performed a buyout in 2003 of the shares in Vodafone Libertel N.V. that it did not already own. At this time, Libertel was delisted from the Euronext Amsterdam stock market.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegeography.com/products/commsupdate/articles/2003/02/12/vodafone-seeks-to-up-its-stake-in-libertel/|title=Vodafone seeks to up its stake in Libertel|last=TeleGeography|date=12 February 2003|website=www.telegeography.com|language=en-us|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/vodafone-presses-ahead-with-buyout-of-libertel-118813.html|title=Vodafone presses ahead with buyout of Libertel|date=13 February 2003|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-06-03|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/vodafone-group-releases/2003/press_release09_04.html#|title=Final results of Vodafone's offer for Vodafone Libertel: Vodafone to increase shareholding in Vodafone Libertel to 98.2%|date=9 May 2003|website=www.vodafone.com|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref> in favour of Vodafone Libertel BV Dutch subsidiary Vodafone Group's pre-existing Dutch.

On September 30, 2007, Vodafone Libertel changed its type of business entity type from [[Naamloze vennootschap|NV]] to [[Besloten vennootschap|BV]], henceforth trading as Vodafone Libertel BV.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/inziendocument?id=ECLI:NL:RBUTR:2012:BW3206|title=Rechtbank Utrecht, SBR 11-2600|date=2012-04-20|language=nl|access-date=2018-06-03|quote=Vodafone Libertel B.V. [..] is per 30 september 2007 de rechtsopvolger van Vodafone Libertel N.V.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://drimble.nl/bedrijf/eindhoven/23399007/vodafone-libertel-bv.html|title=Vodafone Libertel BV|last=drimble.nl|access-date=2018-06-03|language=nl-NL|quote=Per 30-3-2007 statuten gewijzigd. Naam gewijzigd in: Vodafone Libertel B.V. (naam was voorheen Vodafone Libertel N.V.)}}</ref>

In 2011, the Macintosh Retail Group sold [[BelCompany]] and Telefoonkopen.nl to Vodafone Netherlands for 120 million euro.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nu.nl/beurs/2474511/macintosh-verkoopt-belcompany-vodafone.html|title=Macintosh verkoopt BelCompany aan Vodafone|date=22 March 2011|publisher=[[NU.nl]]|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telecompaper.com/nieuws/vodafone-neemt-belcompany-over-voor-120-miljoen-euro--793177|title=Vodafone neemt BelCompany over voor 120 miljoen euro|date=22 March 2011|website=www.telecompaper.com|language=nl|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.vodafoneziggo.nl/68/onze-historie|title=Historie|website=VodafoneZiggo|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref> By 2016, Vodafone had either closed or rebranded the BelCompany stores.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tweakers.net/nieuws/117699/vodafone-gaat-in-vijf-jaar-alle-belcompany-winkels-sluiten.html|title=Vodafone gaat in vijf jaar alle BelCompany-winkels sluiten - update|date=9 November 2016|work=Tweakers|access-date=2018-06-03|language=nl-NL}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://androidworld.nl/nieuws/vodafone-stopt-met-belcompany-winkels/|title=Vodafone stopt met Belcompany-winkels|date=9 November 2016|work=Androidworld|access-date=2018-06-03|language=nl}}</ref>

On 3 April 2012, Vodafone Libertel acquired Telespectrum Telecommunicatie B.V.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=83288601|title=Telespectrum - Company Information|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-06-03|quote=As of April 3, 2012, Telespectrum Telecommunicatie B.V. operates as a subsidiary of Vodafone Libertel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/economie/vodafone-neemt-telespectrum-over|title=Vodafone neemt Telespectrum over|website=RTL Nieuws|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.emerce.nl/nieuws/vodafone-neemt-cloudtelefoonbedrijf-telespectrum|title=Vodafone neemt cloudtelefoonbedrijf TeleSpectrum over - Emerce|date=3 April 2012|work=Emerce|access-date=2018-06-03|language=nl-NL}}</ref>

On 1 October 2015, Vodafone Libertel acquired mITE Systems B.V.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=312686589|title=Hoofdkantoor mITE Systems B.V.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg|website=www.bloomberg.com|access-date=2018-06-03}}</ref>

===Ziggo merger===
A merger was announced on 16 February 2016 with [[Ziggo]]. The [[European Commission]] approved the merger in August 2016, on the condition that Vodafone splits off its fixed-line internet business.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telecompaper.com/news/ec-clears-merger-of-ziggo-vodafone-netherlands--1156259 |title=EC clears merger of Ziggo, Vodafone Netherlands |date=3 August 2016 |website=telecompaper}}</ref> The new parent company for both Ziggo and Vodafone, called [[VodafoneZiggo]], with a 50/50 joint ownership by [[Ziggo]] and [[Vodafone]], was created on 31 December 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ziggo.com/resources/documents-new/16%2012%2031%20-%20Closing%20NL%20JV%20transaction%20-%20FINAL%200900GMT.pdf|title=Liberty Global and Vodafone complete Dutch joint venture, creating a fully-converged national communications operator|date=31 December 2016|publisher=VodafoneZiggo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://markets.ft.com/data/announce/detail?dockey=1323-13082435-6I3MOLQ5G69NJ6GO3197DRG9C2|title=Liberty Global and Vodafone complete Dutch JV|date=3 January 2017|website=markets.ft.com|publisher=[[Financial Times]]|language=en-us|access-date=2018-06-04}}</ref><ref name="Vodafone1">{{cite web|work=Vodafone|title=Liberty Global and Vodafone to merge their Dutch operations|url=https://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/vodafone-group-releases/2016/lg-vodafone-merge-dutch-operations.html|access-date=1 January 2017}}</ref>