July 6 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria's competition authority said that it gave the green light to Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC) to acquire Networx-Bulgaria, TVN Distribution Bulgaria and Telco Infrastructures, as well as to exercise indirect control over Online Direct.
The notified transaction will not lead to the establishment or strengthening of a dominant position by BTC on the local internet, metropolitan area network (MAN), pay TV, and radio distribution markets, the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) said in a decision published on Monday.
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Following the acquisition, the BTC group will have neither the ability nor the incentive to restrict competition on the respective markets as there are alternative operators able to exert pressure on the group, the antitrust body noted.
The combined market share of BTC and the acquired companies on the affected relevant markets at a national level is well below 40%, the CPC said.
Interested parties can challenge the regulator's decision before Sofia Region Administrative Court by July 19.
Networx-Bulgaria, TVN Distribution Bulgaria and Telco Infrastructures are all 100%-owned by private individual Svilen Maksimov. Online Direct is a fully-owned subsidiary of Networx-Bulgaria.
Networx-Bulgaria offers internet and television access to households, as well as a number of services to business clients, including video surveillance, co-location of equipment, IT services and cloud services. The operator is present in northern Bulgaria and in Sofia. Online Direct is engaged in similar activities.
TVN Distribution Bulgaria's main activities are the creation and broadcasting of television programmes, while Telco Infrastructures specialises in the construction of power distribution and telecommunications networks.
Earlier this year, BTC wrapped up the acquisition of 100% shareholding interest in local internet providers Net1 and ComNet Sofia, as well as in cable operator N3 as part of its strategy to expand its fixed services coverage. BTC, which operates under the brand name Vivacom, was acquired by Dutch-registered telecommunications services and media provider United Group last year.