Flint helps telecommunications providers and investors navigate a complex and ever-changing competition, policy and regulatory landscape drawing on our deep sector knowledge and extensive senior level industry experience.
Our team brings together a unique mix of senior expertise from UK and European telecoms regulators and government, and extensive experience of advising the world’s leading telecoms operators to provide advice and insight across the telecommunications regulatory and competition landscape. Our advice combines deep industry knowledge, economics and policy expertise with first-hand experience of policy and regulatory decision-making, to help businesses and investors anticipate and manage regulatory and competition developments and take strategic decisions to achieve successful commercial outcomes.
Flint’s approach
Our multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional team provides an unrivalled offer to telecoms operators and investors.
Navigating regulatory or competition issues
We support businesses engaging effectively in a wide range of regulatory and competition law processes in the telecoms sector, including appeals; and help develop the arguments and evidence needed to effectively influence these critical processes.
Support businesses shape the telecoms policy landscape
We help clients who want to successfully influence government thinking and policy in the telecoms sector. We help businesses engage with key influential policy stakeholders in a manner that maximises their impact.
Supporting investors considering transactions
We support investors undertaking due diligence exercises to understand the regulatory, competition and political risks surrounding particular assets; and provide clear, targeted and timely insights into the broader commercial considerations.
Support parties to engage with stakeholders on telecoms M&A
We support businesses who want to engage with competition authorities, regulators and government on transactions in the telecoms space; and assist businesses in translating their commercial objectives into regulatory and policy outcomes.
Case studies
Advice to an institutional infrastructure investor
Advice to an institutional infrastructure investor
An investor was looking to calibrate its bid for a European fibre infrastructure provider.
The investor wanted to understand the regulatory trends at EU and national level that could affect the provider’s commercial environment ahead of the bidding process. It was concerned about the impact of potential change in the national and supra-national regulatory frameworks in wholesale telecoms markets on the provider’s competitive environment and commercial prospects.
Identified key policy and regulatory risks and opportunities facing the asset and its competitors, and assessed their likelihood and potential commercial impact.
Used our networks to understand the top priorities driving thinking and strategy at the top of the key regulatory agency.
Assessed the impact of a range of regulatory scenarios on the commercial positioning of the asset.
Investors developed an insight into how regulation impacted the asset and its business model, and the likely path regulation will take.
Investors understood which management assumptions should be treated sceptically.
Investors used their understanding of how regulatory change could affect the wholesale price the fibre operator could charge to calibrate their bid.
Strategic positioning for a major European telcom
Strategic positioning for a major European telcom
A leading European telecommunications wanted to influence live policy and regulatory debates that had the potential to affect its competitive position in the UK market. It wanted to make a persuasive case for reform of the UK telecoms market in the context of major reviews of UK mobile telecoms regulation and policy.
Synthesised and simplified the client’s asks into a series of key priorities. Identified evidence to support specific regulatory changes and to develop a narrative to highlight the need to act.
Developed “cases for change” for various areas of telecoms regulation and policy, including competition, public investment and procurement, consumer regulation and spectrum policy.
Built a compelling tailor-made narrative for stakeholders by relating these asks to wider political and policy priorities, such as driving widespread 5G connectivity, promoting trade, and reducing regional inequality.
The client’s needs-case for the desired policy and regulatory change resonated with policymakers and helped it advance the delivery of its commercial objectives.
Client deepened relationships with key stakeholders, building a reputation as a trustworthy interlocutor.
The client has become a credible voice, with an increased ability to drive regulatory and policy change.
Securing clearance for a challenging transaction
Securing clearance for a challenging transaction
A leading provider of passive communications infrastructure was being acquired by a major international operator. The transaction involved the sale of important communications infrastructure and an overlap in activities between the parties and took place against the backdrop of public criticism from an important and high-profile industry stakeholder.
Undertook a strategic assessment of the key competition and public interest risks and developed a strategic narrative to support the company’s stakeholder engagement.
Provided expert industry and economics advice on merger control submissions and developed a strategy to help the merging parties mitigate the risks of a formal public interest process.
Developed a strategic engagement plan for authorities and government to generate a positive external environment for the transaction.
The client was able to anticipate major political, policy and regulatory risks to the transaction and rapidly react to them when they materialised.
The merger was successfully cleared unconditionally at Phase 1 by the CMA.
The transaction successfully avoided a formal public interest process.
A late change to an incoming prudential regime resulted in a client’s international operations being brought in scope, meaning the client would be required to hold significant additional capital. The client needed support to consider the options and make a decision about how best to mitigate the impact of this.
What Flint Did
Outcome
Flint advises international businesses and investors on policy, politics, regulation and competition issues in European markets
