2018 was undoubtedly an important year for Digi Communications, whose interests include Romania’s leading pay-TV operator RCS&RDS.
At the time of writing Broadband TV News has just learned, from a statement by the company published in Business Review, that its revenues exceed €1 billion. What is more, it saw impressive growth in its RGU total, which rose from 13 million to 14.9 million. In Romania, the number of pay-TV RGUs increased by 5.6% to 3.8 million.
On the other hand, Digi also saw a dip in its net profit, which fell from €62 million in 2017 to €21.3 million last year.
Broadband TV News also learned earlier this week that Digi’s takeover of Hungary’s Invitel did in fact go ahead despite the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) withdrawing its permission last November for the deal, which was worth around €140.8 million.
The significance of the acquisition cannot be understated as it has propelled Digi into a leading position in the Hungarian electronic communications marketplace, where it competes with both Magyar Telekom and UPC Hungary.
While latter is likely to be taken over by Vodafone later this year, the former remains owned by Deutsche Telekom. Although the German company has insisted there are no plans to sell its Hungarian subsidiary, it has recently disposed of Telekom Albania, while the Bulgarian entrepreneur Spas Rusev has been linked with Telekom Romania.
Aside from achieving its stated revenue target, Digi saw its TV and internet subscriber totals reach 4.5 million and 2.9 million respectively in 2018. That was in itself a landmark, as it made the company the third largest cable operator in Europe after Altice and Liberty Global.
While the market remains very much in flux, Digi is well placed for another successful year in both Romania and Hungary.
