Bulgarian telecom watchdog oks Magyar Telekom buy of Orbitel._x000d_

27.01.2006 Source: Dnevnik

Bulgaria's Communications Regulation Commission has given the go-ahead to Orbitel, the Bulgarian next generation telecommunications and Internet service provider, to transfer 100% of its capital to Viabridge Telecommunications Holding Ltd., the acquisition vehicle of Magyar Telekom, Hungary's biggest telecommunications company. The EUR 8 mln Orbitel take-over deal, which ushers on the Bulgarian telecom market Magyar Telekom's majority owner Deutsche Telekom, was announced in November 2005. The acquisition now awaits a nod from Bulgaria's Commission for the Protection of Competition. Back in November, Magyar Telekom said that the package of key services that Orbitel will focus on after the acquisition will include broadband, fixed-line voice and wireless services, digital TV and video on demand. Orbitel said it has signed agreements with BTC, Bulgaria's dominant landline telecom operator, on last-mile access and access to the facilities of the telecom. Orbitel ranked as the nation's 4th largest telecoms operator at end-November 2005, controlling 25% of the Internet and VPN market, 34% of outbound and 50% of domestic VoIP traffic and 18% of the dial-up Internet segment.