Vega Telecommunications Group

Vega appeared on the telecommunications market of Ukraine as a result of the merger of the telecommunications groups of Ukraine "Farlep" and "Optima Telecom," as well as the companies "Ukomline," "CSS," IP Telecom, "Matrix," "Fork" and many others. The combined operator is present in 47 settlements of 20 regions of Ukraine. Vega provides a range of services in 38 settlements of Ukraine. The operational management of the Vega telecommunications group is carried out by the company PJSC Farlep-Invest.

Main article: Cellular communication (Ukraine market), IT market of Ukraine

History

2021: "Vodafone Ukraine" bought 50% Vega

In mid-August 2021, it became known about the sale of Vega to Vodafone Ukraine. The relevant documents were submitted to the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU).

The AMCU clarified to the publication UBR.ua that the application for approval of the transaction was first submitted to the department in early June 2021. But then the package of documents did not comply with the norms established by law. Therefore, the Antimonopoly Committee refused to consider the parties' application.

Vodafone Ukraine acquired 50% of Vega

Later, the companies began a new, this time successful attempt, and the regulator accepted the documents for consideration, but as of August 16, 2021 the AMCU had not yet made a final decision.

The financial component of the transaction is not disclosed. According to sources of the publication liga.net, we can talk about the amount of 1 billion UAH. According to the terms of the contract, the share of Vodafone Ukraine in Vega will be more than 50%.

Vodafone develops 4G at frequencies in the 2.5-2.7 GHz range. In the future, the company can expand the band due to Vega frequencies and improve the quality of services provided.

Thanks to Vega's fiber optic infrastructure, Vodafone will be able to launch package offers (mobile communications, Internet and telephony) to compete with Kyivstar. In addition, it was previously assumed that Vodafone could buy Vega's infrastructure to launch 5G networks using it.

According to liga.net, earlier MTS Ukraine sold its fixed-line business Komstar Ukraine to Vega. In subsequent years, MTS-Vodafone was repeatedly appreciated by wire operators in Ukraine. And even somehow announced interest in smaller players, but the matter did not go beyond conversations, the publication says.

According to the ex-president of Kyivstar Pyotr Chernyshov, the main motive for the purchase is competition with Kyivstar and the launch of the so-called triple offer: mobile communications, Internet and telephony.^[1]

Notes