Forthnet

Leading alternative telecom provider Forthnet, owner of the Nova satellite TV platform, announced on Friday a record number of subscribers at end-September, totaling 1.177 million.

It also reported a 41.3 percent yearly rise in triple-play (phone-Internet-TV) clients and a 20.2 percent increase in pay-TV customers.

Greece’s largest telecoms group OTE has secured a deal to broadcast matches of the top two European tournaments for the next three years, it said on Wednesday, in a bid to boost market share amid fierce competition at home.

The Ministry of Administrative Reform and E-Governance is adding the final touches to its latest tender for an upgrade of the public sector’s telecommunications infrastructure.

The project, dubbed “Syzefxis II” and budgeted at 600-650 million euros, is expected to attract bids from both local and foreign players.

By Vangelis Mandravelis

Forthnet’s shareholders were not satisfied by the offer submitted on Thursday by Vodafone and Wind Hellas to buy out the shares they do not already own.

The offer by the two mobile network operators that between them hold 39.5 percent of Forthnet came in response to OTE’s bid for Forthnet’s pay-TV operation (Nova).

Greece's biggest subscription television provider Forthnet said on Thursday it had received a joint takeover bid from Britain's Vodafone and its Greek business partner Wind.

By Vangelis Mandravelis

Vodafone and Wind Hellas appear to have countered rival OTE’s offer for the pay-TV operations of Forthnet (Nova). The two telecommunications networks are preparing to submit, or may have already submitted, a new offer for Forthnet in its entirety and not just its pay-TV arm, although neither of the two would officially confirm it on Wednesday.

Eleni Chrepa

Panagiota Fotou is so fed up with bad news on Greek free television that she’s willing to pay for programs that help her forget about her country’s economic woes.

By Vangelis Mandravelis

OTE, Greece’s dominant telecoms company, announced on Tuesday it has submitted a non-binding proposal to alternative fixed-line operator Forthnet for the acquisition of its market-leading pay-TV platform Nova for 250-300 million euros.

Greek telecoms company OTE said on Tuesday it had submitted a non-binding offer of 250 million to 300 million euros to acquire rival Forthnet's pay TV operations.

Greek telecoms company OTE said it was in preliminary talks with the main shareholder of a small rival, Forthnet, to buy its subscription television operations.

OTE's move comes two weeks after its biggest domestic rival Vodafone acquired an option to increase its 6.5 percent stake in Forthnet to 19.75 percent.