Middle Eastern outfits Bahrain Telecommunications Co. (Batelco) and Millennium Private Equity (MPE) have joined forces to make a $225 million investment for a 49 percent stake in S Tel Ltd., a startup company that plans to deliver GSM-based wireless services in India.
S Tel won GSM licenses in the far north and northeast of India, which have a population of about 230 million but mobile penetration of less than 20 percent.
Batelco owns mobile networks in six Middle Eastern markets and serves 4 million subs with those operations.
On a separate front, India’s Department of Telecommunications earlier this month made the announcement an auction of 3G mobile phone services will happen on Jan. 30 as planned. But some in the industry expect more delays and an increase in price for the spectrum.
