[5][6][7][8] There were concerns that the merger would diminish media diversity in Sweden: although Telia, previously a state telecommunication monopoly, was privatised in 1992, the Swedish Government still owns the 37.3% of the share, thus the major network would come under the indirect control of the Swedish government, which already provides public service television broadcasting through SVT.
A Moderate Party spokesperson issued a statement, saying that the government's long-term agenda should be selling its stake in the telecommunications company.
[12][13] On 10 May, the European Commission launched the in-depth, phase 2 investigation over the deal, as there were another concerns regarding network neutrality and eliminating competitions (for example, removing Bonnier Broadcasting's television channels and its programming libraries from rival multichannel TV platforms and streaming services, offering Bonnier Broadcasting's free-to-air channels through bundled deals for Telia's customers, denying customers of rival ISPs and MNOs from accessing to Bonnier Broadcasting's streaming services, removing advertisements of Telia's competitors from Bonnier Broadcasting's advertising inventories), especially in Sweden and Finland, where Telia Company operates IPTV services.
[14][15][16] Prior to the formal launch of the phase 2 investigation, Reuters reported that Telia Company offered concessions to the Commission in April that year, but these were deemed not sufficient to relieve the concerns.
[14] Telia Company appeared to have offered another concessions to the European Commission over the deal on 12 August 2019, but the details were not provided at that time.