Net announces plan to incorporate parent firm in restructuring

Net Servicos de Comunicacao SA, Brazil’s leading pay-TV operator by users, is looking to incorporate its parent company GB Empreendimentos e Participacoes (GB), according to a statement by the company as reported by Telecompaper. The move falls under the Brazilian group’s wider plan to simplify the organisational structure of the group which is controlled by America Movil (AM) of Mexico. As reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in April 2013 AM revealed plans to merge its fixed and mobile telecoms and cable TV operations in Brazil by amalgamating fixed line unit Embratel Participacoes, Claro-branded mobile unit Telecom Americas and cable television unit Net Servicos de Comunicacao, in a bid to reduce overall operational costs and leverage other synergies within the group. Under this latest shift in structure there will be no capital increase – given that GB’s interests mostly comprise of interests in Net – and GB’s stake will pass to Embratel, the company said. The deal is however, subject to approval of the Net board of directors.