Tele2 Netherlands

Tele2 Netherlands
IndustryMobile telecommunications
Founded1997
SuccessorOdido
HeadquartersDiemen, Netherlands
ProductsMobile networks
OwnerT-Mobile Netherlands
Websitewww.tele2.nl

Tele2 Netherlands (formerly Versatel Telecom International N.V) was a brand name of telecommunications company T-Mobile Netherlands, operating on the Dutch and Belgian market. It sells fixed telephony, mobile telephony, broadband internet and digital TV products. On 5 September 2023, both the T-Mobile and Tele2 were rebranded altogether under one brand as Odido.

History

Tele2 was founded as a European company in 1993 to offer telecom services to both domestic and business customers.[1] In 1997, Tele2 Netherlands introduced telecoms services to the Dutch market operating as an MVNO and competed with lower prices for mobile services.[1] Tele2 Netherlands was launched in 1997 and was the first Dutch company to provide IP-VPN network services.

In July 2005, the Dutch portion of Versatel was sold to Tele2 for 1.1 billion euro.[2] The European commission concluded that both Tele2 and Versatel lacked the marked power to foreclose competition and allowed the sale to close.[3] The German part, Versatel Deutschland (now 1&1 Versatel GmbH), was sold to Apax Partners who merged it with Tropolys, another German telecommunications company. In 2006, the name Versatel was replaced by Tele2.[4]

In 2009, Tele2 had nearly 400,000 subscribers.[1]

In 2013, Tele2 had a market share in the Netherlands of 7%.[5]

Acquisition by T-Mobile Netherlands

In December 2017, T-Mobile Netherlands announced its intent to buy Tele2 Netherlands from its Swedish parent Tele2 AB.[6] After a delay because of a European Commission investigation, the merger was completed in January 2019.[7] As part of the purchase, Tele2 AB acquired a 25% share in T-Mobile Netherlands.

On 7 January 2020, the legal entity Tele2 Netherlands Holding B.V. was merged into T-Mobile Netherlands, leaving Tele2 as a brand name of T-Mobile.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Huet, Jean-Michel; Tcheng, Henri (2010). What If Telecoms - Were the Key to the Third Industrial Revolution?. Pearson Education France. p. 134. ISBN 978-2-7440-7501-8.
  2. ^ "Avontuur Versatel eindigt in Zweden" (in Dutch), de Volkskrant, 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. ^ Stoyanova, Milena (2008). Competition Problems in Liberalized Telecommunications: Regulatory Solutions to Promote Effective Competition. Kluwer Law International. p. 191. ISBN 978-90-411-2736-5.
  4. ^ "Naam Versatel verdwijnt voor consumenten" (in Dutch), de Volkskrant, 2006. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Tele2 verdubbelt marktaandeel" (in Dutch), Emerce, 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  6. ^ Joris Jansen (15 December 2017). "T-Mobile Nederland neemt Tele2 over" [T-Mobile Netherlands acquires Tele2]. Tweakers (in Dutch).
  7. ^ Olaf van Miltenburg (2 January 2019). "T-Mobile en Tele2 ronden fusie af" [T-Mobile and Tele2 complete merger]. Tweakers (in Dutch).
  8. ^ "T-Mobile Netherlands simplifying legal structure in January". CommsUpdate. TeleGeography. 18 December 2019.