KPN, the Dutch telecoms company, has welcomed the decision by the Dutch government to postpone the sale of its stake in the company, which had been scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.

The government, via its finance and transport ministries, said on Wednesday that it would postpone the sale of part of its 43% stake in Royal KPN. It said that the move was intended to make it easier for KPN to raise cash through a secondary share sale.