Sunday, July 06, 2008

Vodafone buys Ghana Telecom

Vodafone is buying 70% of Ghana Telecom for $900m. Ghana Telecom is the local incumbent and has:
  • 379k fixed lines and 15k BB lines.
  • 1.4m mobile subs, or a 17% market share.
  • 2007 revenues of $290m and EBITDA of $42m.
Some quick thoughts:
  • Obviously an emerging markets play, focused on mobile. The same motivation was found in the FT/TeliaSonera courting. So far, Vodafone has succeeded in making deals like these work. However, telcos are inclined to copy each other's strategies; how long before another bubble emerges (and bursts)?
  • The fixed network that comes along fits Vodafones total communications strategy. Soon (post Verizon), the compnay may have a lot of cash to spend. Are they starting to back away from their original 'infrastructure-light' intentions/promises? Are they starting to reshape themselves into a full-service telco? Tele2 is doing something similar, except coming from a completely different background (CPS).

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