Vodafone still way short of Kabel Deutschland deal as deadline looms Investors in the German cable operator have until midnight tonight to tender their shares. Vodafone's offer will expire if it has not attracted 75pc support. By Wednesday morning less than 20pc of shares had been tendered. Support has edged up from 12pc on Friday but remains a long way short of the required total. Vodafone has said it will not raise the price it is willing to pay or the 75pc threshold, despite pressure from activist shareholders such as the US fund manager Paul Singer. He holds nearly 11pc of Kabel Deutschland stock, having raised his stake in recent weeks in the hope of a better offer. The Kabel Deutschland board urged shareholders to accept Vodafone's offer last month. It represents a 37pc premium on the pre-bid share price after the British company fought off a rival approach from the US cable giant Liberty Global. The deal could still go through as investors often hang on to their shares until the last minute to in case of a better offer. Analysts have suggested that if Vodafone does fail to win control of Kabel Deutschland it will become a more attractive takeover target itself, following the £84bn sale of its stake in the US operator Verizon Wireless. Vodafone is attempting to strengthen its European operations by buying fixed-line businesses to deliver growth in a stagnant mobile market.