Hot denied ISP licence for now

Israeli cable operator Hot has been denied a licence to operate as an ISP by the country’s Ministry of Communications. The operator failed to submit a business plan as requested and will now have to re-submit its application.

The Ministry of Communications had hesitated in granting Hot the licence because of a dispute over the company’s structure and how it plans to sell internet services. It had expressed concerns that Hot could provide both internet connectivity and triple-play services, which could adversely impact existing ISPs and give Hot a marketing advantage over incumbent telco Bezeq.