A proposed 4G network-sharing deal between three of Israel’s leading operators – Pelephone, Cellcom and Golan Telecom – is unlikely to be approved by the country’s antitrust regulator, according to Globes.

The Israel Antitrust Authority is expected to take a tougher line on the agreement between the three operators, which was agreed in December 2013, than a similar deal announced a month earlier between the country’s two other operators, Partner and Hot Mobile.

The authority is concerned about the country having only two LTE networks.

Together the Pelephone-Cellcom-Golan Telecom combination has 62 per cent of total mobile connections, according to GSMA Intelligence Q4, 2013 figures, making it a greater potential threat to competition in the authority’s eyes.

However, the authority does not need to rule in an either-or manner on network sharing. For instance, it could agree to passive network-sharing, limited to antennae for a limited period of time with certain restrictions.

Partner-Hot Mobile is reportedly better placed to receive a green light and, in fact, is likely to be approved albeit with restrictions, such as time limits and a ban on active sharing, and a stipulation on granting access to rivals.

No official announcement is thought to be imminent from the authority on the Pelephone-Cellcom-Golan Telecom linkup.

It’s not just Israel where there is a momentum behind network sharing as a means to deliver new infrastructure.

Just this week the GSMA announced a plan for eight leading operators to share infrastructure deployment in Africa and the Middle East, although the focus was more on reaching unserved communities.