telecommunications — english language news service
15.07.2008« [telecommunications — телекоммуникация — telekommunikation]
south africa — bidding war for telkom?
Rumours are circulating that a takeover battle has begun for Telkom South Africa and its 50% stake in African cellular operator Vodacom. Initial reports suggested that Vodafone of the UK, which is Telkom’s partner in Vodacom, was looking to buy part of Telkom’s interest in Vodacom, with the rest to be sold to the public. Meanwhile a group of South African investors led by local businessman Tokyo Sexwale was thought to be chasing Telkom’s fixed line business. A report from Moneyweb now suggests that Vodafone and Sexwale are both bidding for the entire Telkom group, while a third bid for a smaller section of Telkom’s wireline assets could also be on the cards.
Source: TeleGeography's CommsUpdate
telkom
Telkom SA Limited (Telkom), together with its subsidiaries and joint ventures, is a provider of fixed-line voice and data communications services in South Africa and mobile communications services through the Vodacom Group (Proprietary) Limited (Vodacom) in South Africa and certain other African countries. The Company operates in two segments: fixed-line and mobile. The fixed-line segment provides fixed-line voice and data communications services through Telkom; directory services through its 64.9%-owned subsidiary, TDS Directory Operations, formerly known as Telkom Directory Services; wireless data services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Swiftnet (Proprietary) Limited (Swiftnet), and Internet services in Africa through its wholly owned subsidiary Africa Online Limited. The mobile segment consists of a 50% joint venture interest in Vodacom. Telkom acquired 75% of Multi-links Telecommunications Limited on May 1, 2007. On February 23, 2007, it acquired Africa Online Limited.
vodacom
Vodacom is a pan-African mobile telecommunications company, and was the first cellular network in South Africa. It provides GSM service to more than 30.2 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, Lesotho, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is owned on a 50:50 basis by the South African telecommunications group is Telkom and the British mobile phone operator Vodafone. Vodacom is the leading cellular network in South Africa with an estimated market share of 58% and more than 23 million customers. Vodacom was also the first provider to deploy a 3G (third generation) or UMTS network in South Africa and is also offering HSDPA.
vodafone group
Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone) is engaged in providing voice and data communications services for both consumer and enterprise customers. It has a presence in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Pacific and the United States, through its subsidiaries, joint ventures, associated undertakings and investments. It provides a range of voice and data mobile telecommunications services, including voice, text messages, picture messages and other data services, and is developing and provides service offerings, particularly through third generation (3G) mobile technology, which is being deployed in the majority of its operations. Services are provided to consumers and corporate customers, through a variety of both prepaid and contract tariff arrangements. In May 2007, Hutchison Telecom International Limited sold its 67% interest in Hutchinson Essar Limited to Vodafone. In December 2007, Vodafone acquired Tele2 Italia SpA and Tele2 Telecommunication Services SLU, from Tele2 AB.
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