Serbian regulator approves telecoms acquisitions
The Competition Commission of Serbia has approved the Serbia Broadband – Serbian cable network (SBB) takeover bid for Interaktivne kablovske objedinjene mreze (IKOM). The regulator said that SBB’s position will be strengthened by the acquisition for the retail provision of services of media content. The takeover will make SBB one of the largest telecoms operators in SEE.
The Competition Commission of Serbia announced today that it has conditionally approved that Serbia Broadband - Serbian cable network (SBB) take over Interaktivne kablovske objedinjene mreze (IKOM).

The Commission has estimated acquisition will strengthen a dominant position of SBB at the retail market of provision of services of media content, which is why they gave conditional approval.





SBB will sell within the prescribed deadline parallel secondary network infrastructure on the territory of Belgrade, where there are horizontal overlaps between the parties of this concentration, or where currently SBB and IKOM have infrastructure.

Decision defines conditions related to mandatory regular reporting of any changes on retail price of the basic package of services Media SBB, as well as the causes and intensity of these changes, in two years after issuance.

During test procedure, the Commission has obtained all the necessary data, information and opinions on the effects of concentrations and the concentration of competitors, broadcasters, as well as the independent regulatory body in charge of the data that were relevant in this proceeding.



SBB, in September 2016, confirmed it acquired IKOM and stated the takeover will make it one of the biggest telecommunication operators in SEE.

The company is owned by US investment fund KKR and is a leading operator of digital and analog cable television, broadband Internet and fixed telephony.



IKOM has been operating in Serbia for more than 10 years and apart from the basic and digital cable television package it offers cable internet and fixed phone.