The European Commission (EC) has sent out questionnaires to market participants to get their views on the latest remedies package submitted by Hutchison for the takeover of O2 Ireland, TelecomFinance has learnt.
It is thought that participants in the…
The European Commission (EC) has sent out questionnaires to market participants to get their views on the latest remedies package submitted by Hutchison for the takeover of O2 Ireland, TelecomFinance has learnt.
It is thought that participants in the market test have about a week to reply to the request for comments.
TelecomFinance reported yesterday that negotiations between the EC and Hutchison had continued over the past few days and weeks, as the parties fine tuned a set of commitments submitted in early March.
Details of the proposed remedies have yet to emerge, although it is thought that they focus on the three areas MVNO access, network sharing with incumbent Eircom, and spectrum.
The fact that the EC is now asking third parties for their views on the proposed commitments is seen as an indicator that the regulator is inclined to approve the transaction – provided the market test does not turn attention to any serious flaws in the package.
Recipients of the questionnaire include competitors, regulators, and other market participants. While the names of all the recipients are not known, TelecomFinance revealed previously that an oral hearing in late February in Brussels was attended by competitors Eircom, Liberty Global, and Tesco, which operates an MVNO in Ireland.
