"Bharti has decided to disengage from the ongoing talks and has conveyed the same to MTN," the company said. "The MTN board has now presented a completely different structure," the statement said, than what was agreed earlier.
Bharti Airtel and MTN of South Africa are likely to extend the exclusive talks period beyond September 30 in the absence of clarity on the proposed $23 billion deal between the two companies.
The race for South African telecom major MTN Group is hotting up with the possibility of two other players evaluating a bid or a strategic relationship with the company. Banking sources say European telecom major Deutsche Telekom and Russian telco Vimpel Communications are also studying the possibility of talking to the MTN Group.
The much-touted deal between Anil Ambani group company RCOM and South African telecom giant MTN was called off on Friday. "The two sides were unable to conclude the transaction due to certain regulatory issues," RCOM spokesperson said in statement on Friday night.
Bharti Airtel, India 's leading mobile operator, said it could "move pretty quickly" if the board of MTN, the South Africa-based telecoms group, puts itself up for sale on Monday.
Bharti chairman Sunil Mittal MTN group president and CEO Phuthuma Nhlek had met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday. The two telecom majors extended the deadline for exclusive talks for their proposed $23-billion deal to the end of next month recently.
The government said on Monday it is open to the dual listing of MTN, which is in an exclusive talks with Bharti for a merged entity of 23 billion dollars, on the stock exchanges of India and South Africa as there is a provision to this effect.
This effectively means MTN will not talk to other potential bidders while discussions are on with the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company. MTN had not agreed to a similar exclusivity agreement with Bharti Airtel, with which talks broke down following differences over control of the combined entity.
A possible merger of Reliance Communications of India and South Africa's MTN could see Anil Ambani become the enlarged group's chairman and biggest shareholder with a stake of almost 35 per cent.
Speculations are rife in the local media about MTN's next move after the failure of talks with two Indian entities RCOM and Bharti Airtel for a possible merger, with some saying that the South African telecom major might now target other telecom operators from India.
Anil Ambani has won Lebanon-based M1 Chief Executive Officer Azmi Mikati's approval for a possible merger of Reliance Communications and South Africa's MTN Group following a meeting between the two.
Bharti Airtel Ltd on Thursday said it is still in talks with South Africa's MTN over a deal which could see a merger of the two telecom giants with a combined revenue of $20 billion. The two companies would be in exclusive talks till July 31.
Bharti Airtel, India's largest cellular operator, is planning to raise its offer to about $22.63 per share to acquire control of South African mobile player MTN, according to a media report. Quoting a person familiar with the 'deal,' the Wall Street Journal said on Monday that Bharti is considering raising the offer to about 175 South African rand (or $22.63) per share for control of MTN.
Like Bharti, India 's largest mobile operator, Reliance has global aspirations. After losing last year's keenly-contested $11bn takeover of Hutchison Essar, India 's fourth-largest mobile operator, to Vodafone of the UK, Reliance needs to raise its game or risk becoming an also-ran.
Quoting an unnamed person familiar with the talks as saying that MTN and RCOM could extend their exclusive talks for another two to three weeks after the 45-day period expires tomorrow, the report said, 'there is no indication that extra time alone would be sufficient to resolve the feud' between Anil and Mukesh Ambani. The deal, if fructifies, could create a combined entity worth about $70-80 billion, which would be one the world's biggest emerging market telecom firm.
The MTN-Reliance Communications merger, if it gets through, will create a telecom behemoth of 115 million subscribers in 25 countries.
The battle between the Ambani brothers flared up again today -- this time over the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's (ADAG's) bid to seal a merger deal with South African telecom company, MTN.
Datacom Solutions, promoted by consumer electronic goods maker Videocon Industries, is close to roping in South African telecom major MTN group as a partner for its GSM foray in the country. According to sources, Datacom, which was scouting for a partner to bring in investments and technology, has short-listed MTN. Discussions with the South African company are in the final stage and a deal is expected to be signed soon.
Contrary to reports that world's largest mobile phone company Vodafone is planning to bid for South Africa's MTN, the UK-based firm has said it is not in the race to acquire the African mobile major. "Vodafone has ruled itself out of the running to acquire South African mobile phone group MTN, paving the way for Bharti Airtel of India to take a majority stake in the company."
The head of the South African mobile phone giant with huge interests in Africa was lauded by analysts here for having led MTN to great heights, but some felt that Nhleko's two failed attempts at a deal with Bharti Airtel had tarnished his image.
Bharti Telecom, the unlisted holding company of Bharti Airtel, may issue fresh equity to the MTN group to give it the 25 per cent economic interest in India's largest mobile service provider.
The South African Treasury is processing an application from telecom major MTN related to various exchange control regulations for the proposed transaction with Bharti Airtel.
According to South Africa government officials, they are working closely with India through their respective finance ministries on the proposed deal between Bharti Airtel and MTN, including seeking exemption on a range of exchange controls regulations.
The South African government is tightening the screws on the proposed $23 billion share-swap deal between its telecom major MTN and Bharti Airtel, Indian's largest telecom company, by making it clear that the company has to retain its character as a South African company.
A high-profile team from MTN is also expected to meet Reliance Industries Ltd next week to take stock of the situation. RCom had informed the bourses on May 26 that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with MTN for 45 days soon after the South African giant aborted its talks with the Sunil Mittal-controlled Bharti group. The deadline will end on July 8.
Move to skirt public offer for S African telco.
Even at a slight premium, Bharti should buy into MTN since there are synergies.
The bench comprising Justices N K Sodhi and Samar Ray, had on August 11, permitted Mehra's lawyer to make both Bharti and MTN parties to the case. SAT made Bharti and MTN parties to the case, based on an application made by Mehra's lawyer Janak Dwarkadas, a source close to the development said.
With investors seeking clarity from the market tribunal SAT on Bharti Airtel's proposed mega deal with MTN, the Sunil Mittal company today said it is still in discussion with the South African firm.
Bharti Airtel Ltd on Thursday said it is still in talks with South Africa's MTN over a deal which could see a merger of the two telecom giants with a combined revenue of $20 billion.
"RCOM and MTN have agreed to continue their negotiations in relation to such potential business combination, and have extended the period of exclusivity until July 21," RCOM said. "It is to be noted that there is no certainty either on completion, or the timing of the said proposal," the statement added.
Meet the CEOs for South Africa's MTN and India's Bharti Airtel. They're the men behind what would be India Inc's largest-ever overseas transaction, at $23 billion.
Anil Ambani, whose flagship company Reliance Communications is in talks with South Africa-based MTN, is looking to buy more than 40 per cent stake in the telecom major, a media report said on Tuesday.
An Indian consumer pressure group has warned that a proposed deal between Bharti, the country's largest mobile operator, and South Africa's MTN could breach the country's foreign ownership rules.
At present, Reliance is in exclusive talks with MTN with respect to a potential combination of their businesses. The exclusivity talks period of 45 days started on May 26. The due diligence is currently in the final stages and is likely to be concluded anytime. Industry sources said MTN top brass, including Azmi Mikati, chief executive of the investment unit that is MTN's second-largest shareholder and Phuthuma Nhelko, chief executive of MTN are positively inclined to it.
South African major to make open offer to RCom shareholders. The deal would create a telecom colossus with 115 million subscribers in 25 countries.
Bharti Airtel is all set to face competition in its proposed bid for South African telecom major MTN Group. United Arab Emirates-based telecom company Etisalat today said that it might bid for the South African company, too. Etisalat is evaluating a possible bid for MTN as it seeks to boost revenues from the continent to at least a quarter of its total revenues in four years, Reuters reported quoting the company Chairman Mohammed Omran.
Telecom giant Bharti Airtel on Wednesday called off discussions with MTN for the $23-billion merger deal saying the South African government has rejected the proposed structure.
Bharti's talks with South African mobile operator MTN Group Ltd are now centered on a full takeover by the Indian operator for a combination of cash and stock, The Wall Street Journal said quoting a person familiar with the situation. The person said Bharti was considering paying as much as $20 billion in cash, said the paper. Bharti said on Tuesday it was in talks with MTN to 'combine the strengths of the two leading players from emerging markets.
Investment bankers who could have earned up to 48 million dollars in fees, if the proposed deal between Indian telecom major Bharti Airtel and South Africa's MTN had materialised.
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