The UK Government has intervened in BT Group’s acquisition of TalkTalk, using public-interest powers to examine the potential impact of the deal on broadband services, vulnerable customers and critical national infrastructure.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy issued a Public Interest Intervention Notice on 5 October 2026, after BT agreed to acquire TalkTalk’s consumer and wholesale businesses out of administration.

The government said TalkTalk’s networks support services including emergency communications, hospitals, ambulance services and medical alarms, meaning a sudden collapse of the company could have affected essential connectivity.

Under the intervention, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will examine competition issues and report back to the Secretary of State by 19 October. BT and TalkTalk are expected to continue operating separately while the regulatory process takes place.

BT has agreed to acquire the businesses for an arrangement involving an estimated £400 million cash impact for the company. The transaction covers around 1.5 million TalkTalk retail customers and 1 million wholesale customers.

The government said TalkTalk customers do not need to take any immediate action, with services expected to continue normally while the acquisition is reviewed. Ofcom has also said it will monitor the transition and consumer protections.

The intervention places the future of one of the UK's major broadband providers under increased regulatory scrutiny while highlighting the growing importance of telecommunications networks as critical national infrastructure.