United Group acquires Bulgarian pay TV outfit Bulsatcom

South-eastern Europe pay TV and telecoms operatort United Group is to acquire Bulgarian satellite pay TV operator Bulsatcom adding to its existing service provider in Bulgaria, Vivacom.

United Group said the acquisition is part of its long-term strategy to expand and strengthen its market presence in Bulgaria.

Bulsatcom, founded in 2000, is a provider of paid satellite television on the Bulgarian market. The company currently serves customers including households and business subscribers through its satellite TV, IPTV and Internet services. The company also has its own national optical infrastructure and distribution network.

The transaction will be finalized upon receipt of all applicable antitrust approvals.

United Group, which currently operates in eight countries in the region, said this acquisition will further accelerate its growth.

The company entered the Bulgarian market in 2020 with the acquisition of Vivacom. Since then, the group has taken a number of steps to strengthen its presence. Among United Group’s claimed achievements are the development of the largest 5G network in the country and the launch of the first 10GIGA optical network. United Group provided Bulgarian consumers with the first 5G unlimited tariff plans and access to the group-wide EON TV platform.

Victoria Boklag, CEO of United Group, said: “The acquisition of Bulsatcom is another important stage of United Group’s activity in Bulgaria, a key market for our growth strategy. We reaffirm our commitment to offer Bulgarian consumers the best quality products and services and will continue to invest in infrastructure, technology and content.”

Nikolay Andreev, CEO of Vivacom, said: “We know that Bulsatcom went through a difficult period and faced very serious challenges in the current economic environment. But we are confident that this transaction is a great opportunity for the company to recover and accelerate its further development. By joining the United Group family, Bulsatcom customers will gain access to a wide range of services, including high-quality and innovative products, broadband, DTH and 5G technologies. With this investment, we will also significantly improve the services of the company’s current customers.”