The CEO of Telekom Austria’s Slovenian unit Si.mobil has said the company would “very much like to move ahead” with a takeover of struggling local fixed-line operator T-2.
Jorg Eddies however told local media that the final decision on whether or…
The CEO of Telekom Austria’s Slovenian unit Si.mobil has said the company would “very much like to move ahead” with a takeover of struggling local fixed-line operator T-2.
Jorg Eddies however told local media that the final decision on whether or not to make a move for the asset rests with Telekom Austria, controlled by Carlos Slim’s America Movil, a spokesperson has confirmed.
Eddies expects T-2 will also attract interest from local cableco Telemach, part of the United Group controlled by US private equity firm KKR.
He said he thinks KKR will want to prevent Si-mobil, Austria’s second-largest mobile operator after incumbent Telekom Slovenije, from gaining ownership of T-2’s telecoms infrastructure and thereby boosting its competitiveness.
The CEO added he believes that Si.mobile can remain a serious player in the local telecoms sector without an acquisition or laying its own cables, but acknowledged that this would be much harder.
“It would be significantly easier if we were able to add the fixed part [within the next five years] as this is the global trend.
“The biggest difficulty in five years would be not having a TV offer. However, fixed connections might not be required for providing that. Let me make it clear that I am not saying we do not have a future if we do not become a converged operator.”
Last October, Telemach agreed to buy Slovenia’s third-largest mobile operator Tusmobil, enabling it to become a quad-play operator. While the purchase price was not disclosed, local media reports estimated it at about €150m (US$192m).
Meanwhile, the United Group, which also operates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been cited as saying that it is looking at all assets for sale in Slovenia, including T-2, Debitel and smaller cable operators.
