View source for KPN

{{short description|Dutch multinational telecommunication and internet company}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Koninklijke KPN N.V.
| logo = Logo kpn.svg
| logo_size = 200px
| image = Geenmon rotterdam kpn gebouw.jpg
| image_alt = Image of KPN’s headquarters building.
| image_caption = KPN’s headquarters in [[Rotterdam]]
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{EuronextAmsterdam|KPN|NL0000009082|XAMS}}<br />[[AEX index|AEX]] component
| industry = [[Telecommunications industry|Telecommunications]]
| foundation = {{start date and age|1752}} (as Statenpost)<br />{{start date and age|1893}} (as PTT-NL)<br />{{start date and age|df=y|1989|1|1}} ([[Corporatization|corporatised]])
| location = [[Rotterdam]], Netherlands
| key_people = Joost Farwerck ([[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<br /> Duco Sickinghe ([[chairman]] of the [[supervisory board]])
| products = [[Landline]]<br />[[mobile phone|Mobile Telephony]]<br />[[Internet]]<br />[[Digital Terrestrial Television]]<br />[[Information technology|IT services]]<br />[[IPTV]]
| revenue = [[Euro|€]]5.283 billion <small>(2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.jaarverslag2020.kpn/downloads/Integrated-Annual-Report-2020-Spread-navigation.pdf |title=Integrated Annual Report 2020 |access-date=21 December 2021 |publisher=KPN }}</ref>
| operating_income = [[Euro|€]]912 million <small>(2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020" />
| net_income = [[Euro|€]]561 million <small>(2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020" />
| assets = [[Euro|€]]12.080 billion <small>(2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020" />
| equity = [[Euro|€]]2.622 billion <small>(2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020" />
| owner = {{ubl|[[América Móvil]] (16.08%)|Franklin Mutual Series Funds (4.99%)|[[BlackRock]] (3.83%)|[[Norges Bank]] (2.91%)}}
| num_employees = 10,102 <small>([[full-time equivalent|FTE]], 2020)</small><ref name="IAR2020" />
| parent = 
| brands = {{ubl|Ortel Mobile|[[Simyo]]|[[XS4ALL]]}}
| subsid = {{ubl|Cam IT Solutions|Solcon|RoutIT}}
| homepage = {{URL|kpn.com}}
}}

'''Koninklijke KPN N.V.''' ('''Royal KPN N.V.''' in English), trading as '''KPN''' is a Dutch [[List of telephone operating companies|telecommunications company]]. KPN originated from a government-run [[postal, telegraph and telephone service]] and is based in [[Rotterdam]], Netherlands.

==History==
===Until 1998===
[[File:Logo of PTT Telecom.svg|thumb|Logo of PTT Telecom|left]]
{{Anchor|PTT-NL|PTT|Staatsbedrijf der Posterijen, Telegrafie en Telefonie|Posterijen, Telegrafie en Telefonie}}

What is now KPN was first officially established as a [[Mail|postal service]] called the Statenpost in 1752. In 1799, Dutch postal services were reformed into a single, national system, and in 1807, was placed under the administration of the Ministry of Finance. In 1893, postal system and telegraph and telephone services were brought together to form the '''Staatsbedrijf der Posterijen, Telegrafie en Telefonie''' (approximately, “National corporation for Postage, Telegraphy and Telephony”), shortened to '''PTT''' or internationally as '''PTT-NL''', under the [[Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy|Ministry of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce]].<ref name="kpn">{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/tpg-n-v-history/|title=TPG N.V. History|website=Funding Universe|access-date=27 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223071327/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/tpg-n-v-history/|archive-date=23 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kpnhistory">{{cite web|url=https://overons.kpn/nl/het-bedrijf/onze-geschiedenis|title=Onze Geschiedenis|website=KPN|language=nl|access-date=27 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531140840/https://overons.kpn/nl/het-bedrijf/onze-geschiedenis|archive-date=31 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Around a hundred years later, [[post code]]s were introduced in the Netherlands in 1977, which allowed full automation of the postal system. On 1 January 1989, the PTT was corporatised and reorganised as a private business known as '''Koninklijke PTT Nederland''' (“Royal PTT Netherlands”), shortened to '''KPN''' or '''PTT Nederland'''.<ref name=kpnhistory/> KPN remained wholly owned but no longer managed by the Dutch government. Its postal service was called [[Koninklijke TNT Post|PTT Post]] while its telecom service was called PTT Telecom, both independent from each other.<ref name=kpn/>

In 1992, KPN cofounded GD Express Worldwide (GDEW) with [[Thomas Nationwide Transport|TNT]] and the state owned postal companies of Canada, France, [[West Germany]] and Sweden.<ref name=kpn/> KPN later bought out the shares held by the state owned postal companies, owning a total of 50% shareholding of GDEW.

KPN took over its GDEW partner TNT between October 1996 and January 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB8442614364796500|title=KPN's Takeover Offer For TNT Is Welcomed|publisher=www.wsj.com|date=3 October 1996|access-date=14 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614121509/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB8442614364796500|archive-date=14 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> KPN also controlled the national Dutch postal services until its postal division was [[Corporate spin-off|spun-off]] and merged with TNT to form [[PostNL|TNT Post Group]] (TPG) in 1998.

The Dutch government progressively [[Privatization|privatised]] KPN beginning in 1994, with KPN listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange, then reduced its stake to 6.4% in 2005, and finally completed the process in 2006, giving up its [[golden share]] veto rights.

===Since 1998===
In 2001 KPN tried to merge with the Belgian telco [[Belgacom]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2001/09/01/kpn-na-belgacom-in-dode-steeg-7555335-a834490 |title=KPN na Belgacom in dode steeg |author1=Jeroen Wester |author2=Michiel van Nieuwstadt |newspaper=NRC |date=1 September 2001 |publisher=NRC Handelsblad |language=nl }}</ref> It did not succeed because of the objections of the Belgian government.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}<ref>{{Cite news|last=Dan Bilefsky|first=and Almar Latour|date=29 August 2001|title=KPN, Belgacom Merger Talks Stall As Belgacom Looks to Sweeten Deal|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB999029716109412087|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref> In 2001, Spanish [[Telefonica]] expressed an interest in buying KPN.{{citation needed|date=January 2013}}<ref>{{Cite news|last=Green|first=Jennifer|date=2 May 2000|title=Telefonica reportedly in merger talks with KPN|work=[[Screen Daily]]|url=https://www.screendaily.com/telefonica-reportedly-in-merger-talks-with-kpn/402237.article|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>

The Japanese mobile telephone company [[NTT DoCoMo]] holds a 2% stake in KPN Mobile NV. From 2002 until 2007 KPN Mobile provided [[i-mode]] services on its mobile phone networks. i-mode as introduced by KPN's E-Plus in Germany in March 2002 and by KPN Mobile The Netherlands in April 2002 was the first mobile Internet service in Europe (ahead of Vodafone's V-live).

KPN partly owned [[KPNQwest]], a telecommunications company equally owned by KPN and the American [[Qwest]] Communications International. The company was set to bring together the [[state-of-the-art]] [[fibre-optic]] networks of the two partners and the Internet services expertise and customer base of [[EUnet]] International. The company collapsed in a bankruptcy in 2002.

KPN also has operational synergies through joint ventures with [[TDC A/S|TDC]] and [[Swisscom]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=16 June 2015|title=KPN Ventures to acquire stake in Internet of Things platform provider Actility|url=https://www.overons.kpn/en/news/2015/kpn-ventures-to-acquire-stake-in-internet-of-things-platform-provider-actility|access-date=22 April 2021|website=www.overons.kpn}}</ref>

In 2007 KPN acquired [[Getronics]] N.V., a worldwide ICT services company with more than 22,000 employees, and almost doubled its former size. KPN has  divested parts of Getronics that didn't meet their core interests for example in 2008 they sold a Dutch department of Getronics named Business Application Services (BAS) to [[CapGemini]] for about €250,000,000.<ref>https://www.consultancy.nl/nieuws/capgemini-koopt-voormalig-getronics-onderdeel-business-application-services-bas-van-kpn</ref>

In August 2013, América Móvil offered to take over the remaining 70% stake of the Dutch telecommunications company for 7.2 billion Euros ($9.49 billion). América Móvil currently owns close to 30% of KPN. The Dutch Government has issued a warning on this proposed takeover of KPN by Mexican Billionaire [[Carlos Slim]], as part of his ambition to expand his telecom empire.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2013/09/13/dutch-government-issues-warning-on-takeover-of-telecom-firm-kpn-by-mexican-billionaire-carlos-slim/|title=Dutch Government Issues Warning On Takeover Of Telecom Firm KPN By Mexican Billionaire Carlos Slim|author=Dolia Estevez|date=13 September 2013|work=Forbes}}</ref> The plans eventually ended when the "Stichting Preferente Aandelen B KPN" exercised a call option to gain ~50% of the total shares, in order to put up a temporary protection wall against the hostile takeover.

In November 2020, [[EQT Partners|EQT AB]] offered to take over KPN for 11 billion Euros. Further in April 2021 EQT AB and [[Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners]] jointly started work on a KPN takeover bid for 12.5 billion Euros.<ref>{{Cite news|date=9 April 2021|title=Private equity firms are preparing to bid for telecoms giant KPN: WSJ|website=dutchnews.nl|url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/04/rumours-of-kpn-takeover-bid/|access-date=22 April 2021}}</ref>

On 10 June 2021, a fiber-optic joint venture called Glaspoort and based in Amsterdam was established, a partnership between KPN and pension fund APG to expand the supply of fiber. Glaspoort plans to connect some 750,000 households and about 225,000 businesses to fiber which will require an investment of over €1 billion over the next five years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KPN en APG kondigen start glasvezelbedrijf "Glaspoort" aan |url=https://www.overons.kpn/nieuws/kpn-en-apg-kondigen-start-glasvezelbedrijf-glaspoort-aan/ |access-date=2023-05-18 |website=KPN en APG kondigen start glasvezelbedrijf "Glaspoort" aan |language=nl-NL}}</ref>

==Shareholders==
As of 2021, main share holders are:<ref>{{cite web|title=KPN KON Company Profile|url=https://live.euronext.com/nl/product/equities/NL0000009082-XAMS/company-information|access-date=21 December 2021|publisher=[[Euronext]]}}</ref>

* [[América Móvil]] 16.08%
* [[Franklin Templeton Investments|Franklin Mutual Series Funds]] 4.99%
* [[BlackRock]] 4.13%
* [[Government Pension Fund of Norway|Norges Bank]] 3.01%

Stichting Preferente Aandelen B KPN is a foundation which "was established to promote the interests of KPN, KPN its related companies and all stakeholders, including influences the continuity, independence or identity of KPN in conflict with the interests and threaten to keep much as possible." The foundation exercised a call option to gain roughly 50% of the KPN shares in order to protect KPN against a hostile takeover. This stock was withdrawn on a special shareholder meeting held on 10 January 2014, as per the request of the foundation in November 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prefs-kpn.nl/|title=Stichting Preferente Aandelen B KPN|work=prefs-kpn.nl}}</ref>

==Activity==
[[File:Geenmon rotterdam kpn gebouw.jpg|thumb|KPN's current head office in [[Rotterdam]]]]
[[File:Hoofdkantoor KPN Den Haag.JPG|thumb|Former KPN head office in [[The Hague]]]]
In the Netherlands, KPN has 6.3 million fixed-line telephone customers. Its mobile division, KPN Mobile, had more than 33 million subscribers in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, and Spain under different brand names. Through its ownership of several European [[Internet service provider]]s, KPN also provides Internet access to 2.1 million customers, and it offers business network services and data transport throughout [[Western Europe]].

KPN operates a mobile services network for [[2G]] [[GSM]], [[4G]] [[LTE (telecommunication)|LTE]], and [[5G]] [[5G NR|NR]] technologies. It uses the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1400 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 2600 MHz bands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://antennekaart.nl/page/frequencies |title=Frequentieoverzicht |website=Antennekaart.nl |access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref> KPN previously offered [[1G]] ([[Nordic Mobile Telephone|NMT]]) services until 1999<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/opta-verbiedt-kpn-doorsluizen-nmt-klanten |title=Opta verbiedt KPN doorsluizen NMT-klanten |website=AG Connect |date=1 January 1998 |language=nl |trans-title=Opta forbids KPN to migrate NMT customers |access-date=22 December 2021 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417172747/https://www.agconnect.nl/artikel/opta-verbiedt-kpn-doorsluizen-nmt-klanten |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[3G]] [[UMTS]] services until 31 March 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kpn.com/beleef/blog/van-3g-naar-4g.htm |title=Van 3G naar 4G: sneller, veiliger en stabieler |date=4 March 2021 |publisher=KPN |language=nl |trans-title=From 3G to 4G: faster, more secure and more stable}}</ref>

In September 2019, KPN announced that [[Dominique Leroy]] will succeed Maximo Ibarra as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management, with effect from 1 December 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://overons.kpn/en/news/2019/kpn-to-appoint-dominique-leroy-as-chief-executive-officer|title=KPN to appoint Dominique Leroy as Chief Executive Officer|website=KPN Corporate EN|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-14}}</ref> Several weeks later, KPN withdrew her appointment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://overons.kpn/en/news/2019/kpn-to-withdraw-the-intended-appointment-of-mrs-dominique-leroy-as-ceo-of-kpn|title=KPN to withdraw the intended appointment of Mrs. Dominique Leroy as CEO of KPN|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-30}}</ref> On 1 October 2019, Joost Farwerck was appointed as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://overons.kpn/en/news/2019/kpn-announces-new-ceo-cfo-transition-and-expands-board-of-management|title=KPN announces new CEO, CFO transition and expands Board of Management|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-01}}</ref>

==Operations==
Most of KPN's operations are in the Dutch telecommunication market.

In the 2000s and early 2010s, KPN had multiple subsidiaries in European countries such as [[Belgium]], [[Germany]] and [[France]]. Most of these international operations were sold off in the 2010s.

===Netherlands===
In the Dutch telephone market, KPN is the owner of the [[Landline|fixed telephone operations]] network (though its sales monopoly on the fixed network ended in 2007) and is the market leader in [[mobile network operator]] (MNO) under its own brand name and as a [[mobile virtual network operator]] (MVNO) under the brand name [[Simyo]]. Defunct mobile subsidiaries include Hi, [[Telfort]] and Ortel Mobile.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tweakers.net/nieuws/220184/kpn-stopt-per-1-juli-2024-met-telecomprovider-ortel-mobile.html | title=KPN stopt per 1 juli 2024 met telecomprovider Ortel Mobile |author=Daan van Monsjou | date= 26 March 2024 |lang=nl }}</ref>

In the [[Internet]] market, KPN provides Internet service under the KPN brand name. Defunct subsidiary providers include [[XS4ALL]], [[Telfort]], Planet Internet, Het Net, Freeler, Speedlinq, HCCNet, [[Demon Internet|Demon Netherlands]].

In 2004, KPN also started offering digital terrestrial television in the Netherlands as part of its [[multi-play]] services via its subsidiary [[Digitenne]]. Since 1 May 2006, KPN offers [[Interactive Television]], an [[IPTV]] service based on their [[DSL]] service, with the ability to receive [[video on demand]] and replay your missed TV episodes besides regular TV programming.

KPN Retail is a Dutch subsidiary that owns retail stores branded KPN Winkel.

From 1990 until 2002, KPN was the title sponsor of the Dutch [[Eredivisie]], and since the season 2017/18 the main sponsor.

===Belgium===
In Belgium, KPN formerly owned mobile provider [[Base (mobile telephony provider)|Base]]. In 2015, it was sold to [[Telenet (Belgium)|Telenet]], a Belgian cable broadband service provider.

In 2007 KPN purchased the Belgian fixed telephone and broadband operations of the [[Tele2|Tele2-Versatel joint venture]]. These were sold again in December 2009 to [[Mobistar]] (now [[Orange Belgium]]).

In 2009, KPN bought a 33.3% share in MVNO Mobile Vikings,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.mobileweb.be/2009/05/26/kpn-and-concentra-invest-in-mobile-vikings/|title=KPN and Concentra invest in Mobile Vikings|work=MobileWeb Blog - Mobile Internet & Apps - Business SMS|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120701153353/http://blog.mobileweb.be/2009/05/26/kpn-and-concentra-invest-in-mobile-vikings/|archive-date=2012-07-01}}</ref> which was sold to [[Medialaan]] in 2015.

===Germany===
In Germany, KPN formerly owned mobile provider [[E-Plus]], which was Germany's third largest mobile phone network. E-Plus was sold to [[Telefónica Germany]] in 2014.

===France===
In [[France]], KPN was active as a [[mobile virtual network operator]] under the brand name [[Simyo]], which was sold to [[Bouygues Télécom]] in 2011.

===International===
From 1996 until 2001, KPN owned 17.28% stake in the Indonesian-based [[Telkomsel]]. It was sold to [[Singtel]] in 2001.

From 2009 until 2019, KPN owned the US-based [[iBasis]]. The company was sold to Tofane Global in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://overons.kpn/en/news/2018/kpn-to-sell-ibasis-to-tofane-global |title=KPN to sell iBasis to Tofane Global |date=7 March 2018 |publisher=KPN }}</ref>

In 2006, KPN acquired Belgian [[Information and communication technologies|ICT]] services company Newtel Essence (call center solutions and customer relations management).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/be398f4c64fddb |title=KPN neemt NewTel Essence over |date=4 July 2006 |publisher=[[Het Nieuwsblad]] |language=nl |trans-title=KPN acquires NewTel Essence }}</ref>

== See also ==
* {{Portal-inline|Companies}}
* {{Portal-inline|Telecommunication}}
* {{Portal-inline|Netherlands}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commonscatinline}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_KPN List of television channels on KPN Interactieve TV] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719173547/https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_KPN |date=19 July 2018 }}
* [https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Digitenne List of television channels on Digitenne] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719173851/https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Digitenne |date=19 July 2018 }}

{{Dutch mobile operators}}
{{AEX companies}}
{{CATV Europe}}
{{Major telecommunications companies}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kpn}}
[[Category:KPN| ]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of Belgium]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of Germany]]
[[Category:Telecommunications companies of Spain]]
[[Category:Multinational companies headquartered in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Companies based in Rotterdam]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:Dutch brands]]
[[Category:Companies listed on Euronext Amsterdam]]
[[Category:Companies in the AEX index]]