Indonesia telco sets sights on CamGSM

[PHNOM PENH POST]

TELEKOMUNIKASI Indonesia is reportedly still in talks to acquire a majority stake in Cambodian mobile operator CamGSM, after originally targeting completing the deal during the first quarter of 2011.

“The planned deal would be Telkom’s first major purchase overseas, and would signal further consolidation as fast-growing Southeast Asian mobile markets mature,” Reuters news agency has reported.

In December, Telkom Chief Commissioner Tanri Abeng said he hoped negotiations for a stake in CamGSM would be completed during the first quarter of 2011.

Royal Group and Telkom Indonesia officials did not return requests for comment yesterday.

France Telecom was also linked to negotiations over CamGSM last year. Last week France’s Ambassador to Cambodia Christian Connan said he was not aware of any negotiations since the beginning of the year.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications generated revenues of $28.5 million in 2010, a 53 percent increase on $18.6 million in 2009, according to its annual report released yesterday.

Revenue comes from tariffs from telecommunications companies and internet operators, as well as licensing fees, postal services, and spectrum management, it said.

“We see that telecommunication industry has rapidly developed both in scopes and in operational infrastructure expansion to rural areas in recent years,” Minister of Posts and Telecommunications So Khun said.

The report also claimed that Vietnam’s Metfone had 4.52 million subscribers at the end of December. It claimed 2.84 million subscribers in November. The next largest operators were Cellcard with 2.7 million and Mfone with 1.1 million. Some industry insiders have previously expressed scepticism over accuracy of subscriber figures.