Brussels, 04/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 4 February, the European Commission gave its conditional authorisation to the acquisition of the Belgian mobile network operator Base by Liberty Global.
The Commission explains that the transaction will bring together one of the three mobile network operators in Belgium, Base, with Telenet, a Belgian cable operator already controlled by Liberty Global, which also offers mobile telephony services as a virtual mobile network operator. Virtual mobile network operators do not have their own networks, but rent those of other operators. The Commission takes the view that without certain commitments, the merger would have reduced competition significantly, potentially leading to an increase in prices and less choice and innovation for consumers of mobile telephony services in Belgium. Liberty Global has undertaken to sell Base's share in Mobile Vikings, a mobile virtual network operator that uses Base's network, to the Belgian broadcaster Medialaan and to transfer some of Base's customer base to Medialaan. Liberty Global has also concluded an agreement with Medialaan giving the latter access to Base's mobile network under conditions that will allow it to compete effectively as a full mobile virtual network. (Original version in French by Elodie Lamer)