Cellnex / CK Hutchison UK towers merger inquiry
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-03)

The CMA investigated the anticipated acquisition of the passive infrastructure assets of CK Hutchison Networks Europe Investments S.À R.L in the UK by Cellnex UK Limited.

Phase 2

Administrative Timetable

Date of Reference: 27 July 2021

Statutory deadline: 7 March 2022
- Administrative timetable (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/611ce5abe90e0705445c3e21/Administrative_Timetable_CCK.pdf) (16.12.21)
Contact

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Remedy Group appointed

16 May 2022: The CMA appointed the following panel group members to the Cellnex/CK Hutchison remedy group.

Richard Feasey (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/inquiry-chairs-biographies#richard-feasey) (Chair), Maria da Cunha (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/panel-members-biographies#maria-da-cunha) and Mark Thatcher (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/panel-members-biographies#mark-thatcher).

Final undertakings

12 May 2022: The CMA has accepted final undertakings and the reference has now been fully determined.
- Notice to accept final undertakings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/627ccb4fe90e0721b01ea4dc/Cellnex_CK_Hutchison_Notice_of_Acceptance_of_Undertakings.pdf) (12.5.22)
- Final undertakings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/627ccb72d3bf7f053a7e4cb2/Final_undertakings_CK.pdf) (12.5.22)
- Annex 2: Geographic Overlap Methodology (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/627d2c6a8fa8f53f90e3b9b2/Geographic_Overlap_Methodology_-_12_May2022_.pdf) (12.5.22)
- Appointment of monitoring trustee (PDF, 118KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/683dc281a9b2749a8095e082/_Cellnex_Hutchison_appointment_of_monitoring_trustee.pdf) (3.6.25)
Notice of proposal to accept final undertakings

8 April 2022: The CMA gives notice of the proposal to accept final undertakings and is inviting comments by 5pm on 25 April 2022.
- Notice of proposal to accept final undertakings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/624ef215e90e072a03206d4e/Notice_of_Proposal_to_accept_Undertakings_8.4.22_-_A.pdf) (8.4.22)
- Draft final undertakings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/624ef2258fa8f54a888c5d6c/Draft_final_undertakings_-_A.pdf) (8.4.22)
- Annex 2: Geographic Overlap Methodology (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/624ef232e90e0729f6bf819f/Geographic_Overlap_Methodology_-_24_March_2022_.pdf) (8.4.22)
Final report

3 March 2022: The CMA has published its final report.
- Final report (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62221304d3bf7f4f0ec9b75e/Cellnex_CK_Hutchison_-_Final_Report.pdf) (4.3.22)
- Appendices and glossary (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62221938d3bf7f4f0c65c332/Cellnex_CK_Hutchison_Appendices_and_Glossary.pdf) (4.3.22)
- Summary of final report (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6220a1b2d3bf7f4f0655025d/Final_report_summary_FINAL_FINAL_ck.pdf) (3.3.22)
- Press release: Tower site sale to address concerns in telecoms merger (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tower-site-sale-to-address-concerns-in-telecoms-merger) (3.3.22)
Responses to provisional findings and possible remedies
- The Parties response to provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f1405bd3bf7f0551bd6102/Cellnex_and_CK_Hutchison_Response_to_Provisional_Findings_.pdf) (22.2.22) (Please note a corrected version of the Parties response was published on 22.2.22)
- Supplementary submission to the Parties’ response to the remedies notice (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f8f2be8fa8f53893357f87/ME.6917.20_-_Cellnex_and_CK_Hutchison_-_Supplementary_Submission_to_Proposed_Remedy_-_Non-confidential_version.pdf) (2.2.22)
- CK Hutchison response to Chapter 5 of the provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61f1404ad3bf7f0550c0c5b7/CK_Hutchison_Response_to_Provisional_Findings_Counterfactual_chapter.pdf) (26.1.22)
- BT response to notice of possible remedies (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea8239e90e070372b3aa19/PV_BT_response_to_notice_of_possible_remedies.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Virgin Media O2 response (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea824ee90e07037794ff72/PV_Virgin_Media_O2_response__210122.pdf) (21.1.22)
- The Parties’ response to notice of possible remedies (with annexes) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea827f8fa8f505866783fa/The_Parties__response_to_notice_of_possibl.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited response to provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea8294e90e07037ff27644/PV_Cornerstone_Telecommunications_Infrastructure_Limited_response_to_provisional_findings__.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Company A response to notice of possible remedies (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea82ade90e070374304eb8/PV_Company_A_response_to_notice_of_possible_remedies.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Company B response to notice of possible remedies (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea82ba8fa8f50591dfd500/PV_Company_B_response_to_notice_of_possible_remedies.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Company C response to notice of possible remedies and provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea82d8e90e070375c23057/PV_Company_C_response_to_notice_of_possible_remedies_and_provisional_findings.pdf) (21.1.22)
- Company D response to notice of possible remedies (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61ea82e98fa8f50590b5d910/PV_Company_D_response_to_notice_of_possible_remedies.pdf) (21.1.22)
Notice of extension of statutory period
- Notice of extension (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bb4dea8fa8f5037d67b96a/Notice_of_extension_CCK.pdf) (16.12.21)
Provisional findings

16 December 2021: The CMA has provisionally found competition concerns as part of its in-depth investigation of the anticipated acquisition by Cellnex UK Limited of the passive infrastructure assets in the UK of the CK Hutchison group.
- Provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bc9e50e90e07043e8ff62e/PFs_for_publication_.pdf) (17.12.21)
- Appendices and glossary (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bb608b8fa8f503780c1e39/Appendix_Glossary_CCK.pdf) (17.12.21)
- Summary of provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bb4d628fa8f5037cc5e26c/Summary_of_provisional_findings_CCK.pdf) (16.12.21)
- Notice of provisional findings (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bb4e1d8fa8f5037e8ccd7a/Notice_of_provisional_findings_CCK.pdf) (16.12.21)
- Notice of possible remedies (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61bb4d35e90e0704423dc179/Notice_of_possible_remedies_CCK.pdf) (16.12.21)
- Press notice: UK telecoms tower merger risks higher mobile costs (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-telecoms-tower-merger-risks-higher-mobile-costs) (16.12.21)
Responses to issues statement
- Parties’ joint response to issues statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614450468fa8f503c320a10d/ME.6917.20_-_Cellnex_and_CK_Hutchison_Response_to_Issues_Statement_-_Non-Confidential_Version_-_17_September_2021.pdf) (17.9.21)
- BT’s response to issues statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/614aea40d3bf7f05b2ac20ec/BT_s_response_to_issues_statement.pdf) (22.9.21)
Issues statement

19 August 2021: The issues statement sets out the scope of the phase 2 inquiry and outlines the inquiry group’s initial theories of harm. It does not set out any findings or conclusions. The deadline for submitting responses to the issues statement is 5pm, Thursday 2 September 2021.
- Issues statement (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/611e70bcd3bf7f63a54f6006/Cellnex_CKH_Issues_Statement_for_publication__.pdf) (19.8.21)
Initial submissions
- Initial submission by CK Hutchison (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61444ffee90e070442fbde48/ME_6917_20_-_CK_Hutchison_-_Initial_Submission_-_non-confidential_version_-_17_September_2021.pdf) (17.9.21)
Inquiry group

21 February 2022: Inquiry group change.

Humphrey Battcock has stepped down from the inquiry group for the Cellnex CK Hutchison towers inquiry with immediate effect due to a potential development in his outside interests.

27 July 2021: The CMA has appointed the inquiry group:

Richard Feasey (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/inquiry-chairs-biographies#richard-feasey) (Chair), Humphrey Battcock (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/panel-members-biographies#humphrey-battcock), Maria da Cunha (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/panel-members-biographies#maria-da-cunha) and Mark Thatcher (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-panel-member-biographies-and-disclosures-of-interest/panel-members-biographies#mark-thatcher).

Terms of reference

27 July 2021: The CMA has referred the anticipated acquisition of the passive infrastructure assets of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries in the UK by Cellnex UK Limited for an in-depth investigation.
- Terms of reference (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61011bc5d3bf7f044d7ad77b/Cellnex_CK_Hutchison_-_Terms_of_reference.pdf) (28.7.21)
Phase 1

Statutory timetable

Reference decision

27 July 2021: The CMA has referred the anticipated acquisition of the passive infrastructure assets of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries in the UK by Cellnex UK Limited for an in-depth investigation, on the basis that, on the information currently available to it, it is or may be the case that this merger has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.
- Decision to refer (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/611be5c1e90e07054d10bee9/Cellnex-CK_Hutchison_Decision_to_refer__.pdf) (19.8.21)
Reference unless undertakings accepted

13 July 2021: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.
- Full text decision (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/611e42068fa8f53dcaedeabe/Cellnex-CK_Hutchison_Full_text_Decision_1.pdf) (19.8.21)
- Summary of phase 1 decision (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60ed93618fa8f50c7ca55ab8/Decision_summary_-_Cellnex-CK_Hutchison.pdf) (13.7.21)
- Press release: Cellnex and CK Hutchison deal raises competition concerns (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cellnex-and-ck-hutchison-deal-raises-competition-concerns) (13.7.21)
Launch of merger inquiry

17 May 2021: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.
- Commencement notice (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/609e86b0e90e073578a67dee/Cellnex-TowerCo_-_Notice_commencement_initial_period_.pdf) (17.5.21)
Invitation to comment: now closed

13 April 2021: The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.