DoT paves way for big-ticket mergers in telecom sector

The department of telecommunications (DoT) has decided to allow an entity formed by merger of two or more mobile service providers to have up to 50% of the market share in a circle. Moreover, companies holding 3G spectrum will be allowed to retain two blocks of the high speed radiowaves per circle in any resultant entity post merger, according to draft guidelines on M&A being discussed by the telecom department.

These new amendments to the telecom merger & acquisitions (M&A) rules (final guidelines expected to be issued on November 1) are expected to give a big boost to consolidation in the sector. Analysts and operators say the industry can at best accommodate five to six players, compared to over 10 in some circles currently.

Currently, Bharti Airtel holds 28.4% market share in the mobile space followed by Vodafone at 23%, Idea Cellular at 19% and Aircel at 9.3%.

Moreover, the cap for spectrum holding for the merged entity will be 25% of the total spectrum assigned. Also, 50% of the spectrum assigned in a given band under 900MHz and 1,800MHz bands and the ceiling for the 800MHz band will be 10MHz, noted the M&A rules.

However in case of 3G spectrum, the draft rules states that in case two firms, planning to merge, had been allocated one block of 3G spectrum each in the 2010 auction, “the resultant entity shall be also allowed to retain two blocks of 3G spectrum in the respective service area”. Earlier rules had allowed the merged

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/telecom-news/item/3366-dot-paves-way-for-big-ticket-mergers-in-telecom-sector.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/news/telecom-news/item/3366-dot-paves-way-for-big-ticket-mergers-in-telecom-sector.html