WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand pay television provider Sky Network TV (>> SKY Network Television Limited) on Wednesday filed an appeal against the Commerce Commission's decision to bar its purchase of Vodafone's (>> Vodafone Group plc) local unit.

The companies were filing an appeal in order to preserve their rights while they waited for release of competition regulator's full reasons for its decision, Sky TV said in a statement to the stock exchange.

The Commerce Commission blocked the NZ$1.3 billion (764 million pounds) deal between New Zealand's biggest pay television provider and one of its largest mobile phone operators in February, saying it would create a monopoly on premium sports content.

(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; editing by Richard Lough)

Stocks treated in this article : SKY Network Television Limited, Vodafone Group plc