The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine approved the acquisition of mobile communications operator lifecell by the French company DVL Telecom for $525 million. This could become the largest deal in the telecommunications industry of Ukraine over the past decade.
French expansion of lifecell
Transaction background
At the end of 2023, information appeared about the intention of the French investment company NJJ Capital to acquire the Ukrainian mobile operator lifecell from the Turkish Turkcell. The deal also included the purchase of call centers Global Bilgi LLC and Ukrtauer LLC, which owns cell phone towers. However, the process encountered obstacles.
Difficulties with approval
The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) twice returned NJJ Capital's application to acquire lifecell - in January and March. Only after all issues had been resolved and the necessary documentation had been prepared, on July 25, the AMCU finally gave the green light to the purchase of the Ukrainian operator.
New buyer - the same entity
It is interesting to note that although DVL Telecom is now listed as the buyer, in fact the same investor is behind it. DVL Telecom is a subsidiary of NJJ Capital, owned by French billionaire Xavier Nel. The abbreviation DVL stands for Datagroup, Volia and lifecell - companies that are planned to be merged after the completion of the transaction.
Scale of investment
The transaction amount of $525 million may become a record for the last ten years in the telecommunications sector of Ukraine. Especially considering that earlier the same group of investors acquired the fixed Internet provider Datagroup-Volia for an estimated $120 million.
Glossary
- NJJ Capital - French investment company headed by Xavier Nel
- Turkcell - Turkish telecommunications company, former owner of lifecell
- lifecell - Ukrainian mobile operator
- AMCU - Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, state body
- Xavier Nel is a French billionaire investor in the telecommunications industry
Links
Answers to questions
Who is buying the Ukrainian mobile operator lifecell?
What is the amount of the deal to acquire lifecell?
Which companies will merge after the deal is completed?
What obstacles arose during the deal approval process?
What additional assets are purchased with lifecell?
Hashtags
Save a link to this article
Discussion of the topic – AMCU approves: Xavier Niel is ready to acquire lifecell for $525 million
The French company NJJ Capital, headed by billionaire Xavier Niel, received approval from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine to purchase the Ukrainian mobile operator lifecell and related assets for $525 million after previous refusals.
Latest comments
8 comments
Write a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are checked *
Isabella
Wow, $525 million for lifecell! 😮 I wonder how this will affect the quality of communication and tariffs for us subscribers?
Maximilian
Isabella, I think that the French invest so much money for a reason. Surely they have plans to improve the service. Maybe we will finally have stable 5G 🚀
Sophie
But I’m more interested in merging with Datagroup and Volia. This is a potentially huge player in the market! I wonder how this will affect competition? 🤔
Antonio
Sophie, I agree! Such a merger could seriously change the balance of power. Hopefully this will lead to lower prices and better services for everyone 👍
Grzegorz
Hmm, all these mergers and acquisitions... I never understood this fuss. Previously, life was normal without French billionaires. They'll also raise prices, you'll see.
Amelie
Grzegorz, don't be such a pessimist! 😄 Competition in the market is always good for consumers. In addition, European experience can bring new technologies and approaches to service.
Carlos
Does anyone know who this billionaire Xavier Niel is? 🧐 I wonder what experience he has in the telecommunications industry?
Olena
Carlos, as far as I know, Niel is the founder of the French operator Free. There he was famous for his innovative approaches and affordable prices. So maybe some nice changes await us! 😊