Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大) yesterday said it aims to complete its acquisition of Taiwan Star Telecom Corp (台灣之星) by the end of this year, after the Fair Trade Commission gave a conditional go-ahead to the deal.
The transaction would boost the subscriber base of the new entity to nearly 10 million users along with elevated bandwidth and frequency, Taiwan Mobile said in a statement.
Taiwan Mobile’s board of directors in August approved a proposal to raise its capital spending this year to NT$15.65 billion (US$487.16 million) to fund the integration of base stations managed by the two firms.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Taiwan Mobile currently operates 13,000 base stations, while Taiwan Star owns 9,000 units, the companies’ data showed.
“With the regulatory approval, Taiwan’s telecom industry is ushering in a new era,” Taiwan Mobile said. “The new Taiwan Mobile will offer services with greatly elevated bandwidth and frequency for subscribers.”
In July, Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信) obtained an approval from the commission to absorb smaller peer Asia Pacific Telecom Co (亞太電信) in a deal valued at about NT$24.7 billion.
The number of telecom operators in Taiwan would be reduced to three from five following the latest industry consolidation.
“The telecom industry is both technology and capital-intensive. Telecom operators will be able to enhance their operational efficiency and competitiveness through mergers,” the commission said in a statement yesterday.
To maintain market competition and ease concern about market concentration, the commission demanded that Taiwan Mobile safeguard the interests of subscribers and ensure the service quality.
Taiwan Mobile must comprehensively accept terms of Taiwan Star’s existing contracts and ensure Taiwan Star’s subscribers to continue services until Dec. 31, 2025, the commission said.
In addition, Taiwan Star’s 4G subscribers are to continue their contracts until the expiration of the company’s 4G bandwidth license, it said.
Meanwhile, service subscribers who are mentally or physically challenged, from low-income households or 65 years or older can subscribe to preferential tariff plans for at least five years, the commission said. General subscribers can access preferential tariff plans for at least one year, it said.
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