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CCPC outlines phone-tower concerns

The competition watchdog has outlined its preliminary concerns about a proposed merger between two companies that own towers used by mobile-phone operators.

US-based Phoenix notified the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in March about its plans to buy Cellnex.

In a statement, the commission said that it had sent its preliminary assessment of the deal to the companies after an in-depth investigation.

It added that the assessment set out the CCPC’s preliminary concerns about how the proposed acquisition could reduce competition in the passive-infrastructure sector.

Passive infrastructure

The watchdog described passive infrastructure, which includes towers or masts, as “crucial” for mobile-network operators and other service providers. Mobile operators fix active network equipment to it – including antennae and dishes.

Customers of independent tower companies in Ireland include the three mobile network operators (Three, Eir, and Vodafone), fixed wireless-access operators, wireless-broadband network operators, and emergency services.

Phoenix entered the Irish market in 2020, when it bought Eircom’s passive-infrastructure assets. Cellnex owns Cellnex Ireland Limited and Cignal Infrastructure Limited in Ireland.

As this is the CCPC’s preliminary assessment, and not a final determination, the parties now have the right to respond in writing.