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Vivacom received the green light to acquire seven broadband and TV providers, despite backlash and furore from rivals who harbour concerns about competition.
The companies were NetWorx Group – comprising Networks-Bulgaria, Online Direct, TVN Distribution Bulgaria and Telko Infrastructures – and Veliko Turnovo-based TELNET Group, which comprises TELNET, TELNET Securities and STV.
TeleGeography reported, the deal makes Vivacom the largest broadband and TV provider in Bulgaria, and did not deter the country’s Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) from approving the deals.
In December 2022, the Supreme Administrative Court annulled the anti-monopoly regulator’s previous approval of Vivacom’s acquisition of NetWorx Bulgaria. The Communications Regulation Commission launched an investigation into several deals where Viacom gained control over its rivals NetWorx, TVN Distribution Bulgaria, Telko Infrastructures and indirect control over Online Direct.
Large-scale rivals A1 and Yettel protested the latest acquisitions blasting the CPC for a “blatant disregard for recent European rulings” and this will lead to “a huge concentration of market share and power in the hands of Vivacom and its owner United Group”.
Yettel parent company PPF Telecom said in a statement: “CPC decision-making has raised our concerns about its forthcoming review of the proposed acquisition of Bulsatcom’s infrastructure by Slovenia Broadband, which is 100% owned by United Group. If this proposed acquisition is approved, it would lead to a total concentration of the whole national market and infrastructure power far exceeding the normal thresholds acknowledged in all other EU markets.”
It concluded by calling on regulators to review the transactions and threatened to escalate its case to the European Commission.
In a statement sent to Developing Telecoms, Vivacom said it « firmly rejects » A1 and Yettel’s accusations, and outlined how it apparently holds 31% of the fixed broadband market and 33% of the pay-TV market in Bulgaria (based on the number of subscribers). Meanwhile, A1 holds 28% and other local players have 35%, Vivacom claimed.
« The coordinated statements from A1 and Yettel are misleading and inconsistent with the CPC’s findings. Their joint attempt to include Bulsatcom as part of Vivacom’s market share is wholly inaccurate and shows evidence of collusion, » said Vivacom.
This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Andy Burrell, Head of Portfolio Marketing, Nokia
The climate crisis is putting pressure on all industries to become more sustainable, with cutting carbon emissions now a top priority for the C-suite. With energy prices remaining worryingly high, slashing the energy used by telecom networks is also good for the bottom line. And AI-based software can help not just communications service providers (CSPs) but also enterprises with … [visit site to read more]
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Four international items worth keeping up with, mostly from EMEA: … [visit site to read more]
Fibre broadband provider Converge ICT Solutions says it has rolled out 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) fibre connectivity at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 (NAIA T4) in Manila as part of its Free Wi-Fi project for the benefit of the country’s international and local gateways.
Through the Converge Free Public Wi-Fi, travellers can surf the internet for 120 minutes at speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Converge aims to roll out this project in all the terminals of nine Philippines airports.
Converge formalized the project through a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and airport operator the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and Davao International Airport Authority (DIAA) last year. NAIA Terminal 4 is the first terminal to be launched in the project under the MOA.
According to the MIAA, some 1.7 million international passengers travelled through NAIA in April of 2023, with 9,089 flight movements.
“Local and international travellers can maximize our fibre-fast connection especially in digitally supported processes in checking in and boarding, or even just surfing while waiting for departure or upon their arrival,” says Converge CEO and Co-founder Dennis Anthony Uy.
In 2020, Converge embarked on a nationwide expansion plan to ensure that its fibre broadband service would be available to all unserved and underserved areas nationwide. Today, Converge says it has the country’s broadest FTTH network, with over 646,000 kilometres of fibre assets, and 15.9 million households covered. Converge serves nearly 2 million residential customers and 40,000 business customers.
“Now that our infrastructure is in place, Converge is ready and able to serve more facilities such as our airports, schools, and government offices all over the country,” says Converge Chief Operations Officer Jesus C Romero.
Some data centers are changing hands over in Europe. Earlier this week, DataBank announced that it has entered into an agreement with Etix Everywhere to sell off five data centers in France totalling some 73,000 square feet of colo space. … [visit site to read more]
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
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Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
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Tata Communications has announced a deal to acquire the Communications Platform as a Service provider Kaleyra. Kaleyra has risen from the startup scene in Italy at the end of the dotcom era to a listing on the NYSE four years ago. Tata Communications will be paying $7.25 per share for Kaleyra, which works out to … [visit site to read more]
