Brussels, 08/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has authorised plans of the British investment fund Cinven to acquire the majority of the shares (50.01%) of the French companies France Télécom Câble and NC Numéricâble, two cable network operators offering television and Internet services. The Commission feels that this operation will not significantly hinder competition on the market for the acquisition of the distribution rights for Pay-TV channels or downstream on the pay-TV distribution market. Given its relatively small market share of total sales of distribution rights for these channels (compared to the satellite platforms TPS and CanalSatellite and the market leader, UPC-Noos), this new entity is unlikely to wield too much power over the pay-TV channel editors. The Commission adds that moving from five to four main buyers will not increase the risk of collusion. The satellite platforms are effectively other major pay-TV editors, whereas cable network operators have no activities in this field. On the downstream pay-TV distribution market, practice shows that each operator is already in a situation of monopoly in the region covered by its cable network. The fact that more than one network will be brought together within the new entity will not limit the choices of consumers, and the Commission decided not to oppose the operation.