
Telecommunications
“ Above any other top-tier corporate firm, we choose this team for their proven industry experience, legal knowledge and, above all else, their commercial acumen and ability to deliver advice that is understandable and digestible by the business. ”
The Legal 500
Matheson’s Telecoms Group is consistently recognised by international legal directories as a leading advisor to telecoms operators in Ireland. Having acted on all major Irish telecoms transactions, court cases and investigations for many years, the Group offers clients deep industry expertise.
Our cross-departmental group is the largest in Ireland, drawing on specialist expertise in telecoms regulation, competition, litigation, technology, infrastructure, corporate, commercial and tax law.
We advise both traditional and new telecoms operators, from early stage providers of innovative solutions to multinational corporations.
We have a strong track record of successful outcomes for our telecoms clients, including in complex merger control reviews, regulatory enforcement and litigation.
Experience Highlights
Advice on Compliance with Regulatory Obligations
Read MoreAdvice on Compliance with Regulatory Obligations
- Standing advisor on telecoms regulatory compliance to many leading operators, including Three, Virgin Media, Sky, Speed Fibre Group, Elio, An Post Mobile, Elio and Yellowcom.
- Advising a spacecraft manufacturer on the Irish, EU and US regulatory and licencing requirements surrounding the launch of its latest satellite constellation as well as advising on the launch of its satellite broadband services in Ireland and elsewhere in the EU.
- Advising manufacturers of high-performance luxury cars on all its telecoms and infrastructure projects in Ireland including innovative in-built vehicle technologies and products such as emergency calling services and electronic SIM cards.
- Advising all clients on the implementation and implications of fundamentally important EU laws including the Roaming Regulation, the European Electronic Communications Code and the Network and Information Systems 2.0 Directive.
- Advising all clients on interacting with the licensing regime in Ireland, including in respect of regulatory obligations under ComReg’s General Authorisation (GA), Fixed Wireless Access Local Area (FWALA), Premium Rate Service (PRS) and other sector specific licences.
Regulatory Appeals and Enforcement
Read More
Regulatory Appeals and Enforcement
- Advising Sky Ireland on defending High Court proceedings brought against it by ComReg in relation to End of Contract Notifications.
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Advising Three on its Court challenge of ComReg’s 5G spectrum auction rules (which ComReg remarked as being “the most important decision it has ever made“), including obtaining a Court ordered halt (‘stay’) to the auction process.
- Advising Sky and Vodafone as notice parties in an appeal of ComReg’s most recent wholesale broadband access price control decision, including successfully resisting an application to ‘stay’ the regulatory decision being challenged pending determination of the appeal.
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Advising Virgin Media on its defence of ComReg’s High Court litigation and other enforcement actions relating to its terms and conditions for contract cancellation.

Transactions
Read MoreTransactions
- Advising Speed Fibre Group on securing all required regulatory and competition clearances for its acquisition of BT Ireland’s telecoms business.
- Advising Cellnex on the sale of its Irish towers business to Phoenix, involving a Phase 2 review by the Irish competition authority.
- Advising AMP Capital on its acquisition of enet in a two-stage process involving separate transactions.
- Advising the Speed Fibre Group on the acquisition of Magnet+ and the restructuring of the group.
- Advising Three on its acquisition of communications provider Telefónica Ireland / O2 Ireland, following a Phase 2 competition law investigation by the European Commission.
- Fibre Roll-Out Joint Ventures: Advising a number of bidders on the joint venture acquisition of eir’s fibre business and the successful bidder in the acquisition of National Broadband Ireland.
- Telecoms Towers Spin-Outs: Advising Three on the sale of its Irish towers business and on putting in place commercial agreements with the new owner; advising bidders for the Vantage Towers Irish business; advising bidders and sellers of the Towercom Irish towers business.
- Advising MVNOs, including An Post mobile, on putting in place MVNO agreements with network operators.
- Advising successful bidders for high-value Government Concession agreements, including the National Broadband Plan, the MANs and the Emergency Call Answering Service.

Accolades
“The Matheson team is very responsive, quick, easy to work with and very knowledgeable.”
Telecommunications: Chambers Europe
2025
Our Team

Kate is a partner in the Competition and Regulation Group.
Prior to joining Matheson, Kate worked at a Magic Circle law firm in London.
Kate’s competition practice involves advising clients on merger control, behavioural competition issues (including investigations of alleged collusion and abuse of dominance), State aid, the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, Foreign Investment Screening regimes & public procurement competition issues.

Simon is a partner in the Competition and Regulation Group at Matheson.
Simon advises on all aspects of EU and Irish competition and regulatory law with a particular focus on regulated sectors primarily the telecoms, media, technology, infrastructure, food & beverage and life sciences sectors.
Simon also co-leads Matheson’s Foreign Direct Investment / Foreign Investment Review practice advising businesses on navigating Ireland’s new FDI regime and acquisitions of ‘critical’ and ‘sensitive’ assets and businesses.

Anne-Marie is a partner and Head of the Technology and Innovation Group at Matheson.
Anne-Marie Bohan has extensive experience in technology related legal matters, gained over nearly three decades with Matheson, and is Head of Matheson’s Technology and Innovation Group. Anne-Marie is widely recognised for her skill in bringing together significant practical experience in advising on technology and privacy legal issues with industry knowledge and an understanding of applicable regulatory rules and regulatory requirements.
Anne-Marie is recognised by The Legal 500 as a Leading Partner for both Information Technology and Fintech, and is in The Legal 500 Data Privacy and Data Protection Hall of Fame.

Niall is a partner and Head of the Competition and Regulation Group.
He has extensive experience advising Irish and multinational businesses on all aspects of Irish and EU competition law, but particularly on complex merger control mandates.

George is a partner in the firm’s Corporate M&A Group. In over 25 years of practice, he has advised on many of the most significant and complex Irish corporate transactions across a range of industry sectors.
George is listed as a leading corporate lawyer across a range of publications including IFLR1000, Chambers Europe and The Legal 500.

Michael Byrne is “a consummate litigator”.
Chambers Global
Michael Byrne is a partner in the Disputes and Investigations Group.
Michael has extensive experience of dealing with commercial disputes including, in particular, in the areas of Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) and Public Law.

Joe Duffy is a partner in the tax group at Matheson.
Joe has 20 years’ experience in corporate tax law and advises on international restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, tax controversy and transfer pricing. Joe’s clients include many of the leading multinational corporations established in Ireland, primarily in the pharmaceutical, technology, industrial and service sectors.
Joe speaks regularly on international tax matters in Ireland and abroad. He has also written extensively on international tax matters.

Nicola Dunleavy is “not only a skilled lawyer but also has strong emotional intelligence”.
Nicola Dunleavy is a partner in Matheson’s Disputes and Investigations Group, with a broad commercial litigation, investigations and arbitration practice. In 2021 she was appointed by the Irish Government as a Senior Counsel.
Nicola is represents clients in complex, multi-jurisdictional commercial disputes, including arising from mergers and acquisitions and EU law, and in constitutional litigation. Sectors include technology and telecommunications, pharmaceutical, chemicals, food and drink, waste, water, energy, mining, and transport.

Garret is a partner and head of both Matheson’s Energy, Natural Resources and Utilities Group and Projects and Infrastructure Group. Garret is also a member of Matheson’s ESG Advisory Group.
He advises on all aspects of energy, natural resources, utilities and infrastructure projects and project financing, from PPPs to privately-financed electricity and gas developments and privatisations as well as electricity, gas and telecommunications network infrastructure.
Garret specialises in particular in the areas of electricity and gas market regulation and trading.

Patrick Spicer is a partner in the Corporate M&A Group, and chairperson of Matheson. He is a former Head of the Matheson’s Corporate and Commercial Department.
Patrick acts for a large range of internationally-focused companies doing business in and from Ireland, and specialises in particular in public and private company M&A, private equity transactions, equity fundraisings, reorganisations and refinancings.
Patrick is a previous winner of the International Law Office Client Choice award for Corporate Law in Ireland.
Patrick is also a member of the Council, and a director, of Dublin Chamber, and is a former director of Junior Achievement Ireland.












