Licences for electronic media are to be issued by the Broadcasting Council of Macedonia from May 2007, replacing a system of concessions provided by the government. The change is in line with the current broadcasting law, which came into effect in November 2005, and effectively grants the Council independence. A new law currently being drafted […]
Hungary’s HTCC buys Invitel
Consolidation in the Hungarian telecom marketplace is gathering momentum, with the latest deal seeing Hungarian Telephone and Cable Corp. (HTCC) acquire Invitel from American International Group and GMT Communication Partners for €470 million. It is now expected that HTCC, which is 63% owned by Denmark’s TDC, will be able to compete more effectively with the […]
LNK joins Viasat Lithuania
Viasat has added a sixth local channel for subscribers to its Gold package in Lithuania. LNK went live on January 1 and is broadcast from the SES Sirius satellite at five degrees East. “LNK has been requested by our customers for some time, so we are happy to give this New Year present to all […]
Nortel/Telefonica cooperate
Nortel and Telefónica O2 Czech Republic have demonstrated Europe’s first CDMA2000 1xEV-DO Rev A call in the telco’s network in the 450MHz radio spectrum. It should pave the way for Telefónica O2 Czech Republic to deliver more IP wireless services and support real-time access to such services as mobile TV. (CD)
Magyar Telekom consolidates
Magyar Telekom has acquired 2% of T-Systems Hungary, thereby raising its stake in the business services company to 51%. It is the intention of the Deutsche Telekom backed telco to become the sole owner of T-Systems Hungary, which is currently also backed by T-Systems Enterprise Services, by the end of the year. Separately, local reports […]
Teo LT to buy Mikrovisatos
The Lithuanian incumbent telco Teo LT has signed a letter of intent to acquire a 100% stake in the MMDS company Mikrovisatos TV for an unspecified fee. Teo LT, along with AB and the Lithuanian Radio and TV Centre, was awarded a DTT licence by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in 2005. At the same […]
Ramford targets Bulgaria’s CableTel
According to a local report, Bulgaria’s leading MSO CableTel is a take-over target for Ramford Alliance Ltd. The UK-registered company also plans to acquire the radio and TV broadcaster Vicom Bulgaria. Significantly, Ramford has set three preconditions for the deal, two of which involve Vicom acquiring cable interests through a local company named Grelman. CableTel […]
Mixed bag for TPSA
The incumbent Polish telco TPSA says it expects to end 2007 with over 100,000 triple play customers. Its triple play offer, which only made its debut last September, is currently available in only six population centres but will gradually be rolled out to the rest of the country. TPSA also began this year with at […]
Liberty snaps up Karneval
Liberty Global has completed the take-over of the Czech Republic’s second largest MSO Karneval. The €322.5 million deal, which was first announced last August and subsequently investigated by the Czech Anti-Monopoly Office (UOHS), creates a company with around 600,000 cable TV, 200,000 broadband Internet and 15,000 VoIP customers, along with some 120,000 receiving the UPC […]
Realitatea Bites
On location in Bucharest, Romania, I found myself in the studios of The Money Channel talking about the European media scene. The appearance was live, unrehearsed and unscripted. Not that it matters what was said given that my turn was simultaneously translated into Romanian. That Romania has a finance channel at all must surely come […]