Private equity firm Epiris has asked BT Group’s Openreach division for a three-month payment holiday worth about £200 million to £250 million if it buys TalkTalk’s wholesale arm, PXC. PXC also owes Openreach roughly £100 million after making a partial payment this week, putting the total relief sought at about £300 million. PXC typically pays Openreach £60 million to £80 million each month and is TalkTalk’s largest supplier. BT has not formally responded, and Epiris could abandon negotiations if the request is rejected. Epiris says it would invest a substantial sum in PXC and is proposing that Openreach share in proceeds from a future sale above an undisclosed threshold. The proposed PXC sale and Ares Management’s acquisition of TalkTalk’s roughly 1.7 million-customer consumer arm would use pre-pack administration overseen by Alvarez & Marsal. If an orderly process fails, TalkTalk could collapse by the start of next week, potentially disrupting vulnerable customers and critical infrastructure users. Ofcom and Whitehall are being kept informed, while BT Chief Executive Allison Kirkby has met government officials about the situation.