Mexico’s telecoms regulator has reportedly welcomed local broadcaster Televisa’s plan to acquire half of mobile operator Iusacell, which was blocked by antitrust officials in February.
Mony de Swaan, head of regulator Cofetel, was cited telling…
Mexico’s telecoms regulator has reportedly welcomed local broadcaster Televisa’s plan to acquire half of mobile operator Iusacell, which was blocked by antitrust officials in February.
Mony de Swaan, head of regulator Cofetel, was cited telling local newspaper Reforma that the US$1.6bn plan would allow the two groups to offer more affordable services.
His comments came after Cofeco, the country’s antitrust watchdog, blocked the acquisition earlier this year over concerns that it could lead to price fixing for advertising.
Televisa and Iusacell are appealing this decision, and reports suggest Cofeco is due to announce its final ruling next week.
Cofetel’s support for the deal, which is reliant on the price fixing concerns of Cofeco being addressed, will be welcomed by the two companies, which are facing heavy competition from Carlos Slim’s media empire. However, reports explain that, because Cofetel is an entirely separate entity to Cofeco, it will have no final say on whether to allow Televisa to proceed with the acquisition.
