Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      World Bank set to back South Africa’s big energy grid roll-out

      20 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Sita hits back at critics, promises faster, automated procurement

      20 June 2025

      The transatlantic race to create the first television

      20 June 2025

      Listed: All the MVNOs in South Africa – 2025 edition

      19 June 2025
    • World

      Watch | Starship rocket explodes in setback to Musk’s Mars mission

      19 June 2025

      Trump Mobile dials into politics, profit and patriarchy

      17 June 2025

      Samsung plots health data hub to link users and doctors in real time

      17 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      China is behind in AI chips – but for how much longer?

      13 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025
    • TCS

      TCS+ | AfriGIS’s Helen Hulett on how tech can help resolve South Africa’s water crisis

      18 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025
    • Opinion

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » News » MTN said to be eyeing Tata Teleservices

    MTN said to be eyeing Tata Teleservices

    By Duncan McLeod31 July 2014
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp

    MTN-640

    MTN may be in talks to buy a stake in giant Indian telecommunications operator Tata Teleservices and its associated business Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra).

    The Hindustan Times quotes unnamed sources with knowledge of the discussions as confirming talks are underway.

    “It is too early to comment on the level of discussions, since only preliminary talks have been held,” the newspaper quotes a source as saying. The report says two rounds of preliminary discussions have already been held between the parties.

    The discussions may centre on plans by Japan’s NTT Docomo to dispose of its 26,5% stake in Tata Teleservices. Docomo said in April that it had resolved to sell its entire stake in the Indian firm.

    MTN has also been linked with possible discussions with Reliance Communications — a company owned by billionaire Anil Ambani — and Idea Cellular, India’s third largest mobile operator with more than 121m subscribers.

    Tata Teleservices, which is the sister company of Tata Communications — the controlling shareholder in South Africa’s Neotel — provides services to more than 450 000 towns and villages across India, offering mobile telephony (including CDMA and GSM access), fixed-wireless services and public payphones. It operates more than 60 000 base stations across the country, and has more than 84m customers, according to its website.

    If MTN does make a play for Tata Teleservices, it would not be the first time it has attempted to enter the populous south Asian nation.

    The JSE-listed telecommunications group has previously held unsuccessful merger talks with Reliance Communications and Bharti Airtel stretching back as far as late last decade. The talks with Bharti reached an advanced stage before breaking down.

    Earlier this week, Harsh Goenka, who chairs RPG Enterprises, one of India’s largest business groupings, set tongues wagging when he posted on Twitter: “MTN doing due diligence of a large Mumbai-based telecom company. Will this mega deal happen?”

    This led to speculation that it was in talks with Reliance. But Goenka may have been referring to the apparent discussions with Tata Teleservices, which is also based in Mumbai.

    Tata Group appears keen to dispose of its telecoms assets. In South Africa, it’s agreed to sell Neotel to mobile operator Vodacom. It also held talks earlier this year with Vodafone about a possible deal. Reports say those talks didn’t lead anywhere.

    Both Tata and MTN have a policy of not commenting on market speculation.  — © 2014 NewsCentral Media



    Airtel Anil Ambani Bharti Bharti Airtel Idea Cellular MTN Neotel NTT Docomo Reliance Communications Tata Tata Group Tata Teleservices Vodacom
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleNew CEO at MTN South Africa
    Next Article Arrests after hundreds of laptops stolen

    Related Posts

    Listed: All the MVNOs in South Africa – 2025 edition

    19 June 2025

    MTN CEO edges Vodacom rival in pay stakes – but just barely

    18 June 2025

    Vodacom CEO Joosub bags R71m in pay – but taxman will take a big cut

    17 June 2025
    Company News

    Making IT happen: how Trade Link gears up to enable SA retail strategies

    20 June 2025

    Why parents choose CambriLearn for online education

    19 June 2025

    Disrupt first, ask questions later – the uncomfortable truth about incident response

    18 June 2025
    Opinion

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    AI and the future of ICT distribution

    16 June 2025

    Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

    13 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.