Supreme Administrative Court orders lower court to consider petition from consumers seeking to revoke telecom merger. Concerns raised about higher charges, limited competition, and impact on subscribers.
The Supreme Administrative Court Decision
The Supreme Administrative Court has overturned the lower Administrative Court’s ruling by ordering it to accept for consideration the petition by five consumers, seeking the revocation of the telecom regulator’s consent for the merger of CP Group’s True and Telenor’s DTAC. Despite the submission being outside the permissible period, the Supreme Administration Court ruled that the case concerns public interest, allowing the Administrative Court to accept the petition.
Consumer Petition Against Telecom Merger
The consumers group, claiming to be subscribers of Advance Wireless Network and True Move H Universal Communications, are affected by the merger which could result in increased service charges. They also express concerns about reduced competition in the telecom market, leading to possible market control in the future. The Supreme Administrative Court agreed that telecom services are essential for the public and the merger could harm fair competition, emphasizing the importance of considering the petition in the public’s interest.
