Oger still keen on a piece of Telkom action

Dubai-based Oger Telecom, whose offer to acquire South African telco, Telkom, was rejected in April, wants to negotiate a new offer with Telkom’s potential buyers.

Oger Telecom, which owns South Africa’s third mobile operator Cell C, is keen to drive synergies between the mobile operation and Telkom’s fixed assets, a move that would require Telkom to sell out of its 50 per cent holding in South Africa’s largest mobile operator, Vodacom.

Government-backed Telkom received an offer by a consortium led by Mvelaphanda Group for its entire share capital and another offer from Vodafone for its 50 per cent stake in Vodacom.

“We believe fixed/mobile convergence to be ideally suited to the market in South Africa and that there is much to be gained by all stakeholders in that regard,” said Oger Telecom CEO, Paul Doany. “We want to create a model in South Africa that is similar to that we have in Turkey between Turk Telekom and Avea.”

Oger has a controlling 55 per cent stake in Turk Telekom and 81 per cent in Avea, Turkey’s third-largest mobile operator.

Oger, controlled by the family of late Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, also operates in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, providing fixed-line, mobile and Internet services.