Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lučić expressed satisfaction with the company’s recent acquisition, which completes its consolidation process that began in 2018. Lučić stated that the market competition in Serbia is now concluded, with no price increases expected.
The acquisition included Total TV and Net TV from SBB, while Yettel took another portion of SBB’s business. Lučić explained that Telekom’s purchase of Net TV is important for reaching the diaspora, and acquiring Sport Club allows Telekom to become the dominant sports broadcaster in the Western Balkans. He emphasized that this acquisition would help rationalize content costs and increase revenue, as Arena Sport channels will be widely distributed.
The negotiations were challenging, with Yettel involved as a third-party partner to avoid exceeding legal business concentration limits. Following the deal, Telekom gained 300,000 new users and now holds a 62% market share.
Lučić also discussed the upcoming rollout of the 5G network in Serbia. The network’s development is expected to accelerate in the second half of 2025, with a simplified regulatory process due to fewer registered regulators. While the immediate impact for consumers may be limited to faster internet, 5G’s real benefits will lie in its potential to enable automation, including autonomous vehicles and machine-to-machine communication.
Looking ahead, Lučić stressed the importance of embracing artificial intelligence, predicting that it will significantly transform industries and employment in the near future.
