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United Group

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the engineering company formerly known as United Group, see UGL (company). For the Syrian media conglomerate, see United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing.
United Group B.V.
Company typePrivate
IndustryMass media
Advertising
Telecommunications
Cable television
Founded2007; 17 years ago (2007)
FounderDragan Šolak
HeadquartersSpicalaan 41,
2132 JG Hoofddorp
,
Netherlands
Area served
Serbia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Slovenia
North Macedonia
Croatia
Bulgaria
Greece
Key people
Dragan Šolak (chairman of the Advisory Board)
Victoriya Boklag (CEO)
BrandsSBB
Telemach BiH
Telemach Croatia
Telemach Montenegro
Telemach Slovenia
TotalTV
NetTV Plus
CAS Media Serbia
Vivacom
Nova
OwnersDragan Šolak (majority)
BC Partners
KKR (minority)
Websiteunited.group

United Group B.V. is an alternative telecom provider in Southeast Europe that operates both telecommunications platforms and mass media outlets.

History

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United Group was formed in 2007, as a Luxembourg-registered multinational entity, in a merger of Serbia Broadband (SBB) and two companies named Telemach, one in Slovenia and the other in Bosnia and Herzegovina.[1] Telemach Montenegro became a part of United Group in 2014. Telemach acquired Tušmobil on 1 April 2015.[2] This being a cable acquisition of a mobile network makes it a unique case in the region, and the first step of United Group into providing all telecommunication services (landline, mobile, television, and internet) in one household.[3]

Today, United Group is the largest alternative pay television platform in the region of the former Yugoslavia, providing television, Internet, landline and mobile telephony to a large number of households and offices in the region through its cable, DTH and OTT platforms.[4][5]

In 2013, the group started its worldwide OTT platform, NetTV Plus, through which it provides Pay TV and landline telephony services to the former Yugoslav diaspora. As the group’s distribution platforms developed extensively throughout the region, the next step was entering the content and advertising sales business, today represented by United Media.

In March 2014, United Group was bought by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a leading global investment firm with headquarters in New York, and U.S. 94.3 billion in assets under management.[6][7] The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is a co-investor in the company.[8]

In September 2018, a British private equity firm BC Partners began the process of acquisition of the majority stakes of United Group from KKR for an enterprise valuation of 2.6 billion euros.[9][10] The acquisition was finalized on 4 March 2019.[11]

On 24 December 2020, United Group announced they would buy Bulgaria's Nova Broadcasting Group;[12] the acquisition was completed on 22 January 2021.[13]

Technological development

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The company was the first to offer digital landline telephony services in 2012.[14][page needed] This was also the year United Group launched the first application for watching television and using TV services on different mobile devices.

In 2016, United Group established United Cloud, the in-house technology and software "innovation center".

In September 2017, EON TV platform was launched, which allows viewers in Serbia to watch TV via a smart TV app.[15] In 2018, United Group launched EON Smart Box, which was the first regional solution to combine television with Android services and applications.

In 2018, United Group also partnered with Fon Wireless to expand its Wi-Fi network and enable regional customers the access to more than 68 million Wi-Fi hotspots all over the world.[16]

Telecommunication platforms

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Today, United Group is the largest alternative pay television platform in the former Yugoslavia region, providing television, Internet, landline, and mobile telephony to a large number of households and offices in the region through its cable, DTH and OTT platforms.[17]

The Group provides services across four key brands:

  • Serbia Broadband – landline phone and Internet provider, TV services provider in Serbia.
  • Telemach – mobile provider, landline phone and Internet provider, TV services provider in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia.
  • TotalTV – regional satellite television platform.
  • NetTV Plus – OTT provider serving the diaspora from Southeast Europe.
  • Nova – Greek mobile provider, landline phone and Internet provider, TV services provider. It also owns several channels, namely Nova Cinema, Novasports, and Nova Life. These channels are offered only to satellite TV subscribers. The company comes from the merger of Nova with Wind Hellas which was acquired by United Group on August 16, 2021.
  • Vivacom – Bulgarian mobile provider, landline phone and Internet provider, TV services provider. Vivacom is the ex national Telecommunications provider of Bulgaria.

United Media

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United Media is a combination of top Pay TV channels in the region (sports, movies, kids) and CAS Media providing clients with targeted media buying on most of the regional cable channels. United Media channel offer is available for cable, DTH, OTT, and IPTV distribution. In 2018, United Media announced the acquisition of Direct Media, a regional advertising agency.

United Media channels:

Nova Broadcasting Group (Bulgaria)

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Advertising space

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CAS Media is the largest agency for the sale of advertising space on cable and satellite channels in the region.

Documentaries

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General entertainment

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Children

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Films

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  • Cinemania
  • AXN
  • Cinestar
  • Cinestar Action
  • Diva TV
  • TV1000

News

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  • N1 (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia)

Sports

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When United Group announced its acquisition of Vivacom, the largest Bulgarian telecom, United Group was added to the list of defendants in a lawsuit by Empreno Ventures, which disputes the ownership of Vivacom and the sale of the company.[18]

When Vivacom announced that it would be buying smaller regional companies, it faced backlash from PPF, owner of Yettel Bulgaria, and A1 Bulgaria, since the acquisitions would give them a monopoly in multiple provinces, including Ruse, Silistra, Varna, Razgrad and Sofia. Vivacom denied the claims that it was monopolising the market.

References

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  1. ^ "Three investment funds interested in acquiring United Group". Serbian Monitor. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. ^ "KKR exploring EUR3bn sale of United Group". TeleGeography. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  3. ^ "United Group company profile - Office locations, Competitors, Funding, Valuation, Financials, Employees, Key People, Subsidiaries, News | Craft.co". craft.co. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  4. ^ "United Group announces €100m investment in local production". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  5. ^ Ostojić, Tatjana (2018-05-10). "United Group investira 600 miliona evra u regionu". PC Press. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  6. ^ "KKR Closes the Acquisition of United Group". www.businesswire.com. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  7. ^ Aleksandar Mirković (2018-04-17). "UPDATE: KKR najavio nova ulaganja u Srbiju". PC Press. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  8. ^ Simon (2018-04-17). "United Group announces new investments in Serbia". KoZnaZna - Visa regime of Serbia. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  9. ^ "KKR prodao većinski udeo Junajted grupe, SBB ima novog suvlasnika". B92.net (in Serbian). Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  10. ^ "BC Partners's Acquisition of United Group – Global Legal Chronicle". Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  11. ^ "BC Partners completes acquisition of United Group". United Group. 2019-03-04. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
  12. ^ "United Grupa kupuje bugarsku Novu". N1 (in Serbian). 2020-12-24. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  13. ^ "United Group takes over Bulgaria's Nova". N1 (in Serbian). 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  14. ^ Republic of Serbia, Republic Agency for Electronic Communications (2013). "An Overview of Telecom Market in the Republic of Serbia in 2012" (PDF). Ratel.
  15. ^ "New gen TV for Serbia". Broadband TV News. 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  16. ^ "Blog: United Group expands hotspot network with Fon's global footprint". Fon: The global WiFi network. 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  17. ^ "United Group backed by KKR, EBRD acquires CME portfolio in Croatia, Slovenia". seenews.com. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  18. ^ "UPDATE 1-United Group to buy Bulgaria's Vivacom in $1.3 bln deal". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
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