RCS&RDS believes Romtelecom will interfere with RCS-UPC transaction
RCS&RDS operator is considering the possibility of rival
Romtelecom interfering in the fight for UPC Romania, which would
complicate the battle for the acquisition of the second-largest
operator on the television services market, with 1.2 million
clients. RCS&RDS, 'the enfant terrible of the telecom market',
controlled by Oradea businessman Zoltan Teszari, 41, wanted to
strike gold by acquiring UPC, before the other players could do
anything, and create a group with around 10 million television,
Internet, fixed and mobile telephony subscriptions and nearly one
billion dollars in annual turnover.
However, when the negotiations between RCS&RDS and UPC became
known on the market, other players became interested in UPC, in
keeping Teszari's company from consolidating into a telecom market
'monster', which could control cable or Internet prices through to
what Romanians see on TV, more than anything.
"RCS is considering the possibility of Romtelecom entering talks to
take over UPC," said a source close to the Oradea-based
company.
Another source says: "It is to be expected that Romtelecom would
become involved, as well, at least to boost the price a little and
to find out the details of the transaction."
On the other hand, Romtelecom declined comment. A week ago, after
it became known that RCS was in talks with UPC, the first reaction,
an unofficial one, was: "We would like to, but the Germans won't
let us do it." Although Romtelecom is held by Greek group OTE (54%
stake) and the Romanian state (46%), from a strategic point of view
the company is controlled from a distance by Deutsche Telekom,
OTE's biggest private shareholder.