Orange Belgium’s acquisition of Walloon telecoms provider Voo has received the green light from the European Commission. Orange is thus becoming a national player.

The European Commission has cleared the acquisition of Voo by Orange Belgium. With the green light, Orange can now officially act as a national telecommunications provider. Approving the acquisition was important, and not just because Orange relies on the network for its broader ambitions.

part of the deal

Ownership of Voo is also a condition of the agreement Orange struck with Telenet earlier this year. This collaboration gives Orange access to Telenet’s future fiber optic network, while the Mechelen operator can launch an offer for the south of the country via Orange and Voo.

Orange is now entering the final phase of the takeover transaction. The Voo acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023.

No competition problems

The committee saw no problem with Orange buying 75 percent minus one share of Voo. The investigation shows that there are no competition concerns. That doesn’t sound illogical: Voor and Orange mostly reach complementary audiences with their fixed-line offerings. The merger of the two gives Orange a more interesting competitive position compared to Proximus.