KDG’s acquisition of Tele Columbus faces competition hurdle

Germany’s competition authority the Bundeskartellamt has initially rejected the acquisition of Tel Columbus by rival operator KDG.

Germany’s largest operator, KDG, said the step was “not unusual” in German M&A proceedings.
Kabel Deutschland said in a statement that it was convinced that consumers and competition in Germany would clearly benefit from the proposed acquisition.

If the deal goes through, 880,000 households would get access to KDG’s high speed internet and telephony services. It would also see KDG entering the Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia regions, which would increase competitive choice, KDG said.

Kabel Deutschland said it would thoroughly analyse the concerns voiced by the Bundeskartellamt and address them. In addition, the operator will examine how the regulator’s concerns can be overcome by appropriate remedies and will submit a proposal to the Bundeskartellamt, it added.