ITALIAN TELECOMS REGULATOR OPPOSED TO SEAT PG'S ACQUISITION OF TMC.

• Position: Government Activity

Italy's telecommunications regulator reiterated its opposition on 20 February to the takeover of the private Italian television channel Telemontecarlo (TMC) by Seat Pagine Gialle (Telecom Italia group). The authority's refusal is based on a 1997 law prohibiting groups with a public telecommunications concession, as is the case of Telecom Italia, from holding at the same time a free-access hertz-band television concession. The telecommunications authority had already turned down a submission from Seat PG on 17 January concerning its acquisition of TMC. This decision was however suspended on 31 January by the Latinum Regional Administrative Tribunal, at the request of Seat PG and Telecom Italia.By acquiring Telemontecarlo - which broadcasts two national hertz-band channels...