Green Light for Fibre Expansion: Competition Commission Approves Refiber & OPI’s Acquisition
Refiber and OPI receive Competition Commission approval to acquire Fibertime’s township fibre assets, enhancing internet access across South Africa’s underserved communities.
The Competition Commission of South Africa has recommended that the Tribunal approves the proposed transaction whereby Refiber and OPI intend to acquire the Target Assets which are to be developed by Fibertime, without conditions.
The primary acquiring firms are Refiber and OPI. Refiber is jointly controlled by two firms and OPI is controlled by Refiber. The primary acquiring firms and the firms that control them are collectively referred to as the “Acquiring Group.”
The Acquiring Group is involved in the acquisition and leasing back of network infrastructure such as internet fibre networks. The Acquiring Group leases this infrastructure to fibre network operators who provide internet fibre services to residential and business customers. The Acquiring Group owns two fibre networks in the Eastern Cape.
The primary target firm is the Target Assets which are to be developed by Fibertime. Fibertime is a fibre network operator catering specifically to South Africa’s township market. The Target Assets consist of last mile dark fibre infrastructure which includes the infrastructure from the customer premises to a localised point of presence, to be deployed in over 280 townships throughout South Africa, excluding the two townships where the Acquiring Group currently owns dark fibre infrastructure.
The Commission is of the view that the proposed transaction is unlikely to substantially lessen or prevent competition in any market. The proposed transaction does not raise significant public interest concerns.
