Digicel ‘bids’ for Italian assets

Denis O’Brien’s Digicel Group is, reportedly, among the bidders for Italian assets being sold to accommodate the merger of the Italy-based operations of Dutch telco VimpelCom and Hong Kong giant, CK Hutchison Holdings.

The two are seeking to win regulatory approval for the planned merger of their 3 Italia and Wind Telecomunicazioni businesses.

Assets such as redundant wireless frequencies and about 5,000 towers would allow the winning bidder to create a new mobile-phone carrier in Italy, and potentially ease regulatory concerns about consumer choice and prices.