Page 139 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

concluded in September 2021. A deadline of 16 March shares of IGSH and such additional assets and shares,
2022 has been set for submissions to the consultation, including 100% of the shares of mobile operator ice,
with Nkom noting that the shortened timeframe for its Phonepartner Norge Holding and Ice Retail Holding.
examination of the matter is ‘partly because the time of With it noted that deal implies an enterprise value of
decision is very decisive for the parties to the transfer’. approximately NOK5.56 billion (USD618 million), Ice
Earlier this month regional energy supplier Lyse entered Group has said it expects to receive cash proceeds of
into a Heads of Terms agreement to acquire Ice Group approximately NOK3 billion, while the transaction is
Scandinavia Holdings (IGSH) from Ice Group and its expected to close by the end of this month.
subsidiary AINMT. This proposed transaction includes (March 3, 2022) commsupdate.com
the acquisition by Lyse of all issued and outstanding

The Consumer Protection and Competition Authority independently’ for ten months (starting 17 March 2022)
(Autoridad de Proteccion al Consumidor y Defensa de before they start to integrate back-office functions,
la Competencia, ACODECO) has approved the proposed consolidate financial reports and commence network
merger between Liberty Latin America (LLA)-backed integration. In September 2021 the LLA subsidiary
Panama Cable & Wireless Panama (trading as +Movil) and its agreed to acquire Claro Panama from in an all-cash
transaction valued at USD200 million. One month later
smaller rival Claro Panama. The merger agreement
will now be submitted to the National Public Services rival operator Digicel Panama filed a complaint with
Authority (Autoridad Nacional de los Servicios Publicos, ACODECO, complaining that the merger would lead to
ASEP) for review. Notably, the ACODECO resolution has an ‘illegal economic concentration’.
ordered the two companies to ‘operate separately and (March 29, 2022) commsupdate.com

Polish national telecom regulator UKE will receive Telko.in. Funds will be allocated under Operational
almost PLN 16 million in EU funding for its new system Program Digital Poland (POPC). UKE plans to implement
that will monitor the quality of internet services, reports the system by June 2023. (April 12, 2022) telecompaper.com

Poland

The President Macky Sall has instructed the Ministry Funds for Telecommunications (FDSUT)’, adding that
of Digital Economy and Telecommunications to an assessment of the institution’s activities remains
optimize telecoms network coverage by strengthening a priority. Improving access to telecom services,
the universal service fund. Stressing further public particularly broadband and mobile payment services,
Senegal and private investment is required to further the plays a key role in the government’s ‘Digital Senegal’
country’s inclusive digital development, President strategy for the digital transformation of several
Sall told a Council of Ministers meeting last week that sectors including health and education, as well as the
there is an ‘urgent need to redeploy and improve the wider ‘Emerging Senegal’ economic development plan.
intervention mechanisms of the Universal Service (March 28, 2022) commsupdate.com

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) by IMDA’s current regulatory requirements. Specifically,
has approved StarHub’s acquisition of a 50.1% stake in the acquisition will see StarHub’s StarHub Online unit
rival ISP MyRepublic’s fixed broadband business which buying the majority interest in a new business entity,
serves some 6,000 enterprise customers including MyRepublic Broadband, which holds MyRepublic’s
Singapore SMEs and large organizations, alongside over 80,000 broadband business in the city state. In September
2021 Singapore’s second largest telecoms operator
residential broadband subscriptions in Singapore. In
a press release, IMDA said it had assessed that the revealed it was spending up to SGD162.8 million
proposed consolidation ‘will not substantially lessen (USD120.5 million) to acquire a majority stake in the
competition in any telecommunication market in rival fixed broadband business. At the time StarHub
Singapore, and will not harm public interest’. It went on noted that the deal excludes MyRepublic’s mobile
to note that all applicants will have to continue to abide business and intern ational business operations. Upon

139 MARCH-APRIL 2022