CommScope Inc. shares jumped more than 30 percent Monday morning after the company announced it is in talks with The Carlyle Group LLC to take the broadband gear supplier private in a deal valued at almost US$3 billion.

CommScope issued a statement today noting that the potential transaction would involve Carlyle acquiring all of the outstanding shares of CommScope common stock for $31.50 per share in cash, a 36 percent premium over its closing price on Friday ($23.12). CommScope has about 94.7 million outstanding shares. (See CommScope in Buyout Talks.)

Investors reacted Monday morning by sending CommScope shares up 30.32 percent ($7.01), to $30.13 each.

Carlyle obviously sees something about CommScope's business that looks to provide a good return over the next few years. The investment firm says it has put more than $5 billion in telecom and media companies since 1987. Its last cable deal of note occurred when it took Insight Communications Co. Inc. , the ninth-largest incumbent US MSO, private in 2005. (See Private Equity Firms Gain Some Insight and Insight Goes Private, Reports Q2.)

For more on CommScope's recent activities, see:

• SCTE Moves on RFOG
• CommScope Blazes 'BrightPath' for Cable
• Docsis Gets Its EPON On
• CommScope Posts Q2

— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable