Israel’s Antitrust Authority is reportedly concerned that Bezeq would close YES if it is allowed to purchase a majority stake in the DTH platform.
The Authority is concerned that Bezeq has no real interest in satellite broadcasting and would prefer to concentrate on the development of its IPTV service. The argument runs counter to the plans by Orange in the French, Spanish and Polish markets, which is planning its own DTH platform to maintain a service in areas where IPTV is unavailable. The Authority believes satellite broadcasting should continue.
The Restrictive Trade Practices Tribunal has suggested that the Authority’s arguments against Bezeq are weak and that the purchase should be permitted to go through, subject to conditions.
