New Zealand Block Sky and Vodafone Merger

New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has blocked a proposed merger between Sky New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand.

Commission chair Mark Berry outlined the regulator’s concerns about the impact of the proposed merger on competition in the broadband and broadcast markets in a letter in October. The commission said that subsequent submissions had not resolved the concerns.

The integrated telecommunications and media group would have been 51-per-cent owned by Vodafone, but the proposed deal had attracted stern criticism since it was announced last June.

Issues under scrutiny were the impact on sports viewers, and the difficulties it could cause in the broadband market.