Telekom Austria (TA) and Turkish mobile phone operator TurkCell have reportedly expressed interest in the sale of Bulgarian telecoms operator Vivacom.
Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported that part of TA’s management favours the acquisition,…
Telekom Austria (TA) and Turkish mobile phone operator TurkCell have reportedly expressed interest in the sale of Bulgarian telecoms operator Vivacom.
Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported that part of TA’s management favours the acquisition, citing unnamed sources. However, the paper added the Vienna-based company’s CFO Hans Tschuden has cautioned that problems in Belarus could repeat themselves in Bulgaria. TA’s Belarus’ business has had negative impact on TA’s overall results due to exchange rate issues.
According to Die Presse, TA may consider breaking up Vivacom – by, for example, selling of its mobile business – to reduce the likelihood of difficulties with antitrust authorities.
Meanwhile, TurkCell deputy chief executive Koray Ozturkler told Reuters on 16 January that the company – Turkey’s biggest mobile phone operator – is interested in Vivacom, although the board hadn’t yet made a firm decision on the issue.
Telekom Austria has declined to comment on the matter.
