The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that Meta’s takeover of Giphy could allow Meta to limit other social media platforms’ access to GIFs, making those sites less attractive to users and less competitive. It also found the deal has removed Giphy as a potential challenger in the UK display advertising market, preventing […]

Viasat is seeking to merge with Inmarsat. However, the proposed deal has fallen foul of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which is examining the transaction and has expressed concerns. The CMA has confirmed it will raise its investigation to a Phase 2 level. A statement from Viasat and Inmarsat says that the pair […]

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found the proposed merger between Viasat and Inmarsat with could lead to airlines facing higher prices for on-board Wi-Fi and has asked the pair to submit proposals to address its competition concerns. The CMSA notes that Viasat and Inmarsat are two of the largest satellite communications companies […]

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has confirmed it is investigating the anticipated sports joint venture between Warner Bros Discovery and BT Group. The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the […]

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will ask whether the music streaming market is working well for music lovers, as part of a study into the sector. Streaming has changed the way we listen to music. In the UK, more than 80 per cent of recorded music is now listened to via a streaming […]

In line with its Phase 2 provisional findings issued in August 2021, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded that Facebook’s acquisition of Giphy would reduce competition between social media platforms and that the deal has already removed Giphy as a potential challenger in the display advertising market. The independent CMA panel reviewing […]

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a market study into Apple’s and Google’s mobile ecosystems over concerns they have market power which is harming users and other businesses. It is taking a closer look at whether the firms’ effective duopoly over the supply of operating systems (iOS and Android), app stores (App […]

Having received provisional clearance by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the proposed merger of Liberty Global-owned Virgin Media and Telefónica-owned O2 will bring together one of the UK’s four nationwide mobile networks and the UK’s only DOCSIS cable broadband network. According to Gary Barton, a Principal Analyst at data and analytics company GlobalData, […]

The UK’s Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally cleared the proposed merger of Virgin Media and Virgin Mobile with O2. Both Virgin and O2 provide certain wholesale services to other mobile network operators in the UK, as well as retail services to consumers. The CMA was clear at the outset of its in-depth inquiry […]

Although the planned merger combining Virgin Media and O2 is still subject to approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK, Liberty Global and Telefónica have announced their intention to appoint Lutz Schüler as Chief Executive Officer and Patricia Cobian as Chief Financial Officer of the proposed 50-50 joint venture. Schüler joined […]