GO says Melita’s proposed acquisition of Epic raises questions on competition and consumer choice

Telecommunications company GO said Thursday it is following the announcement of Melita’s proposed acquisition of Epic “very closely”.

On Wednesday, Melita and Epic said they had reached an agreement to combine their operations, bringing together two of Malta’s major telecommunications providers in a deal that remains subject to regulatory approval, the companies said in a statement on Wednesday.

A statement by the two companies said that under the proposed transaction, Melita will acquire 100% of Epic from Monaco Telecom in the future. The combination and the companies’ intended future investment remain subject to customary merger control and other regulatory approvals.

The proposal, GO said Thursday, “raises important questions around competition, consumer choice, pricing, investment and innovation, particularly regarding the longer-term incentives to continue investing in networks and services. If approved, the transaction would reduce Malta’s mobile network operators from three to two and significantly reshape the telecommunications landscape.”

As such, “we trust that the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority will undertake a rigorous, transparent, evidence-based and fully independent assessment of the proposed transaction and its potential impact across the relevant markets,” GO said.

Irrespective of the outcome, GO said remains focused on competing effectively and investing for the long term. Our commitment to Malta’s digital infrastructure remains unchanged. We will continue investing in our nationwide fibre and mobile networks, developing our services and technology, and delivering strong value and service to all our customers.

 

 

 

 

RSS Feed Source: Independent Malta GO says Melita’s proposed acquisition of Epic raises questions on competition and consumer choice