RIL\u2019s proposed re-entry into telecom sector is currently limited to broadband wireless business and it might have to acquire \u201cone or more extant telecom operators\u201d in the voice segment, brokerage firm Kotak Institutional Equities said in an equity research report on Reliance Industries.
The report further said that the acquisition route might also not be much value-accretive, unless RIL can acquire RCom, which became part of the Anil Ambani group as part of a family settlement between the two brothers in 2005.
Kotak Institutional Equities, however, immediately clarified that it was not aware of RIL\u2019s interest in acquiring RCom or whether Anil Ambani group was interested in selling the telecom venture to Mukesh-led RIL group.
When contacted, both RIL and ADAG groups did not reply to emailed PTI queries seeking their comments on the report. The specific queries on whether they were interested in any deal involving acquisition of RCom by RIL also remained unanswered.
Last year, RIL acquired 95 per cent stake in Infotel Broadband Services, which emerged as a successful bidder for pan-India Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) spectrum sold by the government. RIL has invested over Rs 4,200 crore in Infotel.
Talking about RIL\u2019s re-entry into telecom with this BWA licence, Kotak report said that RIL \u201cwill have to contend with well-entrenched players and a small (but growing data market.\u201d
\u201cWe are not too sure about the economics of a standalone BWA business. Also, RIL may have to prepare a strategy for voice, which may involve acquiring one or more extand telecom operators,\u201d the report noted. The report said that it also doubted that an entry into telecom through acquisition was going to create much value.
\u201cThe telecom landspace is quite competitive, regulations are becoming increasingly hostile and Reliance Communications\u2019 existing brand presence may confuse potential subscribers unless RIL can acquire RCom,\u201d it said.
Kotak Institutional Equities added: \u201cWe do not know if RIL has any interest in acquiring RCom or RCom\u2019s major shareholder has any interest in sharing RCom to RIL.\u201d
The promoters Anil Ambani group own 67.86 per cent stake in RCom, while the remaining shares are spread among FIIs, domestic institutional investors and others.
The Ambanis-promoted conglomerate ventured into telecom when both brothers were together in unified Reliance group.
The telecom business went to Anil after a division of the group between two brothers, although Mukesh has been credited for setting-up of telecom business year-after-year in RIL\u2019s annual reports till as recently as in 2009-10.
\u201cMukesh Ambani had set up one of the largest and most complex information and communications technology initiative in the world in the form of Reliance Infocomm (now Reliance Communications,\u201d RIL said in its annual report for 2009-10.
However, the annual report for the latest fiscal 2010-11 has no mention of this credit, although it talks about the group\u2019s proposed broadband telecom business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"