Falcon Group
Ceske Radiokomunikace / T-Mobile Czech
Country: Czech Republic
Industry: Broadcasting and wireline telecommunication/mobile communication
Initial investment Date: November 2006
Fund: Fund II; additional stake acquired in November 2008 by Fund III
Website: www.radiokomunikace.cz
www.t-mobile.cz
Mid Europa acquired a stake in Falcon in November 2006 in a consortium with Lehman Brothers and the United Arabs Emirates based Al Bateen Investment, and subsequently bought out the Lehman Brothers’ stake through Fund III in November 2008, thus gaining full control of the asset.
CRa is the dominant analogue TV and radio broadcaster company, holding approximately 97% of the market share. The company owns one of the three digital multiplexes covering the largest area of the country, and operates three further multiplexes, having launched digital broadcasting in 2006.
As part of the transaction the consortium also acquired a 39.2% stake in T-Mobile Czech Republic, the market leader in mobile telecommunications services in the Czech Republic with approximately 5.5 million subscribers.