Lisbon, 19 Aug 2024 (Lusa) - Romania-based telecommunications group Digi has already notified Portugal's Competition Authority (AdC) of the purchase of Cabonitel, direct owner of Nowo, Portugal's number four telecoms operator, it was announced.

According to the AdC's website, Digi has notified the acquisition of exclusive control over Cabonitel, which controls Nowo, "a company that offers electronic communications services in mainland Portugal, including fixed communications, mobile services [MVNO, using rival MEO's network], fixed Internet services, pay-TV services and telecoms packages".

Digi "is part of the Digi Group, with registered offices in the Netherlands and effective management headquarters in Romania, active in the telecoms sector in Romania, Spain and Italy," the AdC statement continues, noting that it does not yet have "active services or turnover" in Portugal.

"Digi is registered with ANACOM to offer electronic communications networks and services at a national level and holds rights of use for a total of 95 MHz of radio spectrum and a fibre optic network being installed in various parts of the country," it summarises.

This acquisition had already been announced by Digi, which informed Romania's securites markets authority that it had agreed to buy Nowo and its licences for €150 million. 

Comments on this merger can be sent to the Competition Authority within 10 working days. 

Digi's purchase of Nowo came after an earlier deal for Vodafone Portugal to buy its rival was blocked.

On 4 July, the AdC announced that it had "rejected" the purchase of Nowo by Vodafone on the grounds that this concentration would present "significant obstacles to competition" and so harm consumers.

In September 2022, Vodafone had signed an agreement to buy Cabonitel from Llorca JVCO Limited, which through its subsidiary MásMóvil Ibercom had taken full control of Cabonitel earlier that year.

MES/ARO // ARO.

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