Boston-based American Tower Company, which recently signed a Rs 7,635 crore deal to acquire majority stake in Indian firm Viom Networks, is open to acquiring more telecom infrastructure companies in Asia. In India, the company will focus on integration of its local business with Viom Networks over next 6-12 months before looking out for further expansions, Amit Sharma, ATC Executive Vice President and President for Asia business told PTI. "Our first priority has always been organic and we use inorganic to fill out the portfolio.
My charter is Asia not just India. My highest priority is not only improving India but also growing Asia business. So, I won't specifically say that rules out acquisition," Sharma said.
ATC has signed pact to acquire 51 per cent in Viom Networks at total enterprise value of around Rs 21,000 crore, including debt of about Rs 5,800 crore of Viom, a largest foreign direct investment in telecom sector this fiscal. The deal is expected to get completed in mid-2016. "In near-term in India, in any case, we will focus on integration of operation these two entities.
Outside India where we don't have our footprint, our entry will be necessarily through acquisitions," Sharma added. American Tower's existing Indian portfolio of approximately 14,000 towers will also be merged with Viom, resulting in certain ownership adjustments. ATC may also acquire rest of the stake in Viom Networks going forward.
With this deal, ATC will have bouquet of over 56,000 mobile towers in the country and second largest player in the country after Indus Tower which has over 1.17 lakh mobile towers. "Till now we were too small to feature in their plans. They would make their plans based on bigger player.
We would play a role but not main role. Now I have enough of a presence to engage with them as the first or second partner when they think of roll out," Sharma further added. When asked about possible management changes at Viom Networks or reduction in headcount with this acquisition, Sharma said, "At this point there is no plan but I can't comment on it until we takeover the company it's difficult to say something like that.
But obviously we will try to leverage strength of both the companies." Tata Teleservices owns 54 per cent of Viom, with Kolkata- based SREI Group of Kanoria family holding about 18 per cent with management control. On completion of the deal SREI Infrastructure Finance, which controls management of Viom, Funderburk Mauritius, which holds 6.39 per cent, Invest PTE which has 2.35 per cent and other investors holding 1.32 per cent stake in the company will completely exit. SBI Macquarie stake of 11.14 per cent will stay intact while, IDFC Infra Fund stake of 6.23 per cent will get diluted to 3.18 per cent.
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