European Commission

EC conditionally approves Orange UK/T-Mobile UK merger

On 03.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The recent speculations regarding the grant of conditional approval for the merger between the UK subsidiaries of France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom has been confirmed by the European Commission (EC).

Under the conditions for the deal, Orange UK and T-Mobile UK are required to enter into a joint network sharing agreement with Hutchison 3G UK in order to ‘ensure there remains sufficient competitors in the market’.

A quarter of combined spectrum in the 1800MHz band is also required to be sold by the new enlarged company.

However, consumer rights groups have opposed the approval citing it to be too quick and without the involvement of the UK regulator.

Tagged with: 3G • Deutsche Telekom • Europe • European Commission • France Telecom • Hutchison • merger • Orange UK • T-Mobile • UK

Google faces anti-trust probe by European Commission

On 02.25.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The anti-trust probe started by European Commission to find out the dominance of Google in the search market will receive co-operation from Google, as per the search giant.

Price comparison site Foundem, French online legal services guide ejustice.fr, and Microsoft-backed German portal Ciao complained against Google alleging that it is using its market power to limit competition their ability to compete and the EC in turn launched an investigation against the company.

According to the one of the complainant, Google’s own price comparison service comes top of the list of results when a user searches for a specific item they want to buy. The same goes for searches for video content.
Google, on the other hand has acknowledged the complaints on its corporate blog.

Tagged with: Complaints • Europe • European Commission • Google • Launch • Microsoft

Russian mobile operators face investigation on roaming charges

On 02.22.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: MTS, Vimpelcom and Megafon have been suspected of inflating tariffs by Russian antimonopoly watchdog FAS. An investigation has been launched by FAS into the high mobile roaming prices charged by the operators.

The roaming tariffs of the big three exceeded the level set by the European Commission by three to six times while the international calls tariffs applied by the operator is more than double.

The competition regulator has also found that the prices are well above those charged by smaller operators such as Tele2

Tagged with: ASIA • Europe • European Commission • FAS • MegaFon • MTS • operator • Russia • Tele2 • VimpelCom

Orange & T-Mobile confident of EC approval for merger (UK)

On 02.22.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Rapid regulatory approval from European Commission is expected by Orange and T-Mobile for a merger of the UK mobile phone businesses, France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom.

France Telecom’s Orange UK and Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile UK are planning to combine to form Britain’s largest mobile operator, with 29.5m customers.

The number of UK mobile network operators in UK will be reduced from five to four after this transaction as Telefónica’s O 2 UK subsidiary will be overtaken by the combined Orange/T-Mobile entity.

The matter of concern for the regulators is the fact that whether the three telecom operators, which has never reported a pre-tax profit, could compete effectively after consolidation in the mobile market.

Tagged with: Deutsche Telekom • Europe • European Commission • France • France Telecom • merger • operator • Orange • T-Mobile • UK

T-Mobile, Orange to offer a part of spectrum for sale in UK

On 02.18.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A part of the combined radio spectrum has been offered to be sold by Deutsche Telekom AG and France Télécom SA besides providing some network-sharing guarantees to allay competition concerns over their U.K. mobile joint venture.

Instead of facing a lengthy antitrust probe by U.K. regulators, the companies consider European Commission’s antitrust clearance a preferred option.

The key players in the U.K. mobile sector have been asked by the commission to see whether the proposals reduce rivals’ concerns over their impact on competition.

Tagged with: Deutsche Telekom • Deutsche Telekom AG • Europe • European Commission • France • Orange • T-Mobile • UK

Orange & T-Mobile to hand back spectrum to ease merger (UK)

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Orange and T-Mobile have proposed to hand back some of the mobile phone spectrum controlled by them so that it can be used by the rival firms. The move will prevent their planned merger being subjected to a probe by the Office of Fair Trading.

The news of OFT asking the European Commission to investigate the planned merger of the two mobile phone networks instead of the process being dealt with solely by Brussels was welcomed by the consumer group this month.

The merger will create the largest operator in the UK.

Tagged with: Brussels • Europe • European Commission • merger • OFT • operator • Orange • spectrum • T-Mobile • UK

OFT seeks to examine Orange/T-Mobile deal

On 02.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: European Commission has been asked by Office of Fair Trading (OFT), Britain’s consumer watchdog to let it examine the planned merger of the UK arms of France Telecom’s Orange and Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile, raising prospects of at least a delay to any deal.

A 50-50 joint venture was agreed between T-Mobile and Orange grabbing top spot with a market share of about 37 percent and at the same time reducing the number of mobile phone operators in the country to four from five.

According to T-Mobile UK Managing Director Richard Moat, the company was hoping that the proposed joint venture would be examined by regulators in Brussels, as scrutiny in the UK could take much longer. The investigations in the UK would delay the merger until 2011 which would not be in anyone’s interest.

Tagged with: Britain • Deutsche Telekom • Europe • European Commission • France • France Telecom • Orange • T-Mobile • UK

Telecom Italia’s nationalization not on cards- Argentina govt

On 02.02.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Argentina government has made it clear that there are no plans to nationalize Telecom Argentina SA but will do whatever is necessary to force agreement with an antitrust commission order to end a monopoly in the local telecommunication sector.

According to Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez, the goal was never to nationalize Telecom, but to make sure that Telefonica complies with the order to sell the stake that it has to sell, like in any part of the world when there’s a monopoly.

Telecom Italia SPA has been ordered by Argentina’s antitrust commission, the CNDC, to sell its stake in Telecom Argentina, saying the local telecommunications market became a monopoly after Spain’s Telefonica SA bought a minority stake in Telecom Italia. On the contrary, Telecom Italia fought hard against the order and obtained a lower court ruling suspending the August 25 deadline of CNDC to sell the stake.

Later, European telecommunications lobby group ETNO urged the European Commission to intervene in the dispute and currently, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is also investigating the forced sale.

Tagged with: Argentina • CNDC • Europe • European Commission • South America • Spain • Telecom Argentina • Telecom Italia • Telecom Italia SpA • Telefonica SA

T Mobile & Orange UK merger vital for competition: T Mobile

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The 50-50 joint venture, between Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile and France Telecom’s Orange in UK announced on September 8, 2009 is crucial for the two companies to be able to compete against bigger rivals.

The announcement was made by T-Mobile UK Managing Director Richard Moat. According to Moat, the margin pressures are altering the competitive landscape and altering the ability to fund the future.

The joint venture proposal is waiting for the nod from European Commission, which will investigate whether there will be any adverse effect on the market, has until Feb. 15 to rule on the joint venture.

UK’s largest mobile operator with a 37% market share will be created if the propsed venture is successful.

Tagged with: Deutsche Telekom • Europe • European Commission • France Telecom • operator • Orange UK • T-Mobile

T-Mobile and Orange in U.K merger to be reviewed by European Commission

On 01.13.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A proposal has been filed by Deutsche Telekom AG and France Telecom to the European commission for a joint venture in the U.K. The step is taken four months after the announcement of the deal.

The deal for 50- 50 partnership between France Telecom’s Orange UK and Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile was announced on September 8. With 37% market share, the joint venture will create the U.K.’s largest mobile operator ahead of current leaders Telefonica SA’s O2 with its 27% share and Vodafone PLC’s 25%.

The European Commission has time until February 15 to complete the investigation of the adverse effect of the deal on the market. The joint venture may start working by the middle of 2010.

Tagged with: Deutsche Telekom • Deutsche Telekom AG • Europe • European Commission • France • France Telecom • Orange • T-Mobile • Telefonica • UK • Vodafone