Another factor that is estimated to be pushing the deal is the desire of the Hot Group to increase its holdings in the fiber-optic company IBC, in which Cellcom also owns. Earlier this year, Hott announced its plans for 2022 in particular and the coming years in general. In the field of infrastructure, it intends to invest an insane amount of NIS 1 billion in the fiber-optic infrastructure of IBC, in which it is a partner, and reach a spread of 35% today in 1.1 million households, or 70% and more than 70 cities, by the end of the year. .
More in-
Going back to the past, one can find a number of contacts that took place between Cellcom and Hot regarding the merger between them, but a number of things caused difficulties in the merger, such as the partnership between Hot and the Partner Group in the cellular communications network. What has changed? The entry of additional companies into the two markets of Hot and Cellcom: WE4G returns to the cellular market, and in the television market there will be tough competition when next year services such as Disney + and HBO will arrive in Israel. As you may recall, these changes also caused Keshet to launch the FREETV streaming service together with RGE.