International News

(Telecompaper) Germany's Federal Cartel Office is poised to approve the takeover of cable network operator Kabel BW by rival Unitymedia, a subsidiary of Liberty Global group, Manager Magazin has learned. The Cartel Office is understood to have informed the parties on 12 December. The approval comes after Unitymedia CEO Luetz Schueler agreed to give the housing industry an extraordinary right of termination, covering hundreds of thousands of long-term contracts with customers in rented apartments in service areas of Unitymedia and Kabel BW. In addition, Unitymedia has agreed not to encrypt free-to-air digital TV channels.