Technology group Allied Technologies (Altech) has withdrawn its intervention in the merger between telecommunications giant MTN and Verizon South Africa.

Altech was granted an intervention in November, after filing an application to intervene with the Competition Tribunal in October.

The company said on Wednesday that MTN had given a number of general undertakings in respect of the way in which it proposed to conduct the Verizon business.

"These undertakings have given Altech satisfactory comfort to address its competition law concerns."

The group initally opposed the merger between the two telecommunications companies owing to "substantial competition concerns".

MTN wanted to acquire Verizon European Holdings' 69,38% stake in Verizon South Africa, which was involved in multiprotocol layer switching, retail business Internet connectivity, network security and information technology infrastructure services.

The Competition Commission has already cleared the transaction and recommended that the tribunal approve the transaction without conditions.

A number of competitors had, during the commission's investigation, voiced concerns around bundling, input and customer foreclosure, the removal of an effective upstream infrastructure rival and avoidance of regulation, stated the tribunal.

Further hearings on the merger would be held between January 8 and January 14 at the Competition Tribunal.

On Tuesday, MTN was given the green light to proceed with its merger with iTalk Cellular.

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