Digital TV News: European Commission

Liberty Global Vodafone deal approved by European Commission
Jul 18, 2019 – European Commission has announced its final approval of the sale of Liberty Global’s operations in Germany, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic to Vodafone Group. The transaction, announced May 9, 2018, has a total enterprise value of approximately €19 billion [$21.5] billion, on a GAAP basis.
News categories: Liberty Global, European Commission, Vodafone, Mike Fries, Cable TV, Czech Republic, Digital TV, EU, Germany, Hungary, MnA, Regulation, Romania

EU opens antitrust investigation into Broadcom
Jun 26, 2019 – The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation to assess whether, in TV and modem chipset markets, Broadcom may be restricting competition through exclusivity practices, in breach of EU rules.
News categories: European Commission, Margrethe Vestager, Digital TV, EU, Regulation, Semiconductor, Set Top Box

CANAL+ Group to acquire M7
May 27, 2019 – CANAL+ Group has announces the acquisition of M7, owned by Astorg. M7 is an aggregator and distributor of local and international channels via satellite and OTT platforms with a presence in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.
News categories: CANAL+ Group, M7 Group, Maxime Saada, Jacques du Puy, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Digital TV, Hungary, MnA, Netherlands, OTT, Romania, Satellite, Slovakia

EU opens competition investigation into Telia's acquisition of Bonnier Broadcasting
May 10, 2019 – The European Commission has opened an investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Bonnier Broadcasting by Telia Company. The Commission is concerned that the merged entity may shut out competitors from the audio-visual sector in Finland and Sweden.
News categories: European Commission, Telia Company, Bonnier Broadcasting, Digital TV, Finland, MnA, Regulation, Sweden

Liberty Global organic video subscriber losses at 60,500 for 1Q 2019
May 6, 2019 – Liberty Global (NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK) has announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2019. The company's Vodafone and Sunrise transactions remain on track to close during the summer of 2019 and Q4 2019, respectively.
News categories: Liberty Global, Mike Fries, Belgium, Cable TV, Czech Republic, Digital TV, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Results, Romania, Satellite, Set Top Box, Slovakia, Subscribers, Switzerland, UK

Merger completed between Tele2 and T-Mobile in the Netherlands
Jan 2, 2019 – Tele2 (Stockholm: TEL2 A; TEL2 B) and Deutsche Telekom have completed the merger of their Dutch operations. Tele2 Netherlands (Tele2 NL) is absorbed by T-Mobile in the Netherlands (T-Mobile NL).
News categories: Tele2, T-Mobile, Anders Nilsson, MnA, Netherlands

EIB supports expansion of DTT broadcasting network in Romania
Dec 14, 2018 – The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 9.78m to Romanian public company Societatea Nationala de Radiocomunicatii SA (Radiocom) to partially finance the digitalisation of the country’s terrestrial broadcasting infrastructure.
News categories: European Investment Bank, Radiocom, Andrew McDowell, Eugen Brad, Digital TV, Finance, Romania, Terrestrial

EU agrees rules to facilitate access to online TV across borders
Dec 13, 2018 – EU negotiators have agreed on proposed copyright legislation for TV and radio programmes. The new rules will make it easier for European broadcasters to make programmes available on their live TV or catch-up services online, and will simplify distribution by retransmission operators.
News categories: European Commission, Andrus Ansip, Mariya Gabriel, Digital TV, EU, OTT, Regulation

EU to investigate acquisition by Vodafone of Liberty Global businesses
Dec 11, 2018 – The EU has opened an investigation to assess Vodafone's proposed acquisition of Liberty Global's business in Czechia, Germany, Hungary and Romania. The Commission is concerned the takeover may reduce competition in Germany and Czechia.
News categories: European Commission, Vodafone, Liberty Global, Margrethe Vestager, Cable TV, Czech Republic, Digital TV, EU, Germany, MnA