The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) has allowed the national operator of fixed communications and digital services Datagroup (Datagroup Holding Limited), to buy three companies that are part of Volia Group.

According to the AMCU website, the matter concerns Kyiv Telecommunications Networks LLC, Telesvit LLC and Oisiw Limited (Cyprus).

The committee notes that during consideration of these cases, the product markets involved were assessed, namely: the provision of access to TV packages to legal entities and individuals; provision of Internet access services to legal entities and individuals; provision of server hosting services.

In the course of consideration of the cases, it was found out that the largest aggregate share of participants in the concentration is in the regional market for access to packages of TV programs for individuals is within Kyiv region, and it, according to the results of 2018, 2019 and nine months of 2020, does not exceed 29%.

In addition, the AMCU found that in each of the markets involved there is a significant number of business entities providing these services. Service consumers have a wide choice of Internet and TV providers and can freely choose between them.

"Almost all competitors of concentration participants interviewed by the committee reported that, given the high level of competition, these concentrations will not lead to a change in the existing market balance in the territorial limits involved, the markets are saturated and those that are dynamically developing," the AMCU said.

"Taking into account the information collected in the course of consideration of the cases, the committee came to the conclusion that the declared concentrations do not lead to monopolization or a significant restriction of competition in the commodity markets of Ukraine, and provided the appropriate permits for the concentration," the report summarizes.

Oisiw Limited is a company specially set up to jointly invest with Sigma Bleyzer Southeast European Fund IV to improve telecommunications and media infrastructure in Ukraine. It has been working since 2006.