JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - Telco operator, PT Hutchison 3 Indonesia (Tri Indonesia) plans to spends around US$200 million in this year to accelerates the development of Base Transceiver Station (BTS), said the vice president director. The provider owned by Hutchison Asia Telecom Group and Thohir family, targeting to build 800 BTS by the end of 2021.
Danny Buldansyah in virtual conference on Friday (02/11), revealed by the end of first quarter of this year, the number of tower belonging to the operator to reach 34,000 units. Other expansions, he adds, would depend on the results of data traffic. He also expect, the number of customers to grow around 10 percent compared to last year about 39 million subscribers.
On the backdoor listing targets through cellular provider, PT Indosat Ooreedo Tbk (IDX: ISAT), he has not able to give further the details because the decision its in the shareholder hands. As reported, the parent of Indosat, Qatar’ Ooredoo Q.P.S.C has signed an exclusive and non-legally binding agreement with CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (CK Hutchison), the parent of Tri Indonesia.
The deal, which was signed at the end of December 2020, is related to a potential transaction plan to combine both companies, although it does not specifically use the word merger. The exclusivity transaction period between the two parties valid until April 30, 2021
“Ooreedo would like to emphasize that no binding agreement with respect to possible combinations has been made as of the date of this announcement. (We) will make further announcement if needed,” wrote the statement released in December of 2020.
In 2019, Hutchinson has announced a planned to acquire one of three mobile operators in Indonesia, namely PT XL Axiata Tbk (IDX: EXCL), Indosat, and PT Smartfren Telecom Tbk (IDX: FREN). The global telco firm has approached Malaysia’ Axiata Group Berhard on the potential merger of their Indonesian units.
The discussion was set up after Axiata had ended the discussions with Norway’ Telenor ASA regarding a non-cash combination of their telecom and infrastructure assets in Asia. While, since 2016, the Indosat’ parent aimed to sell or merge the unit with other telco operators but there are no deal until now.
Hutchinson (66 percent) and PT Tiga Telekomunikasi (33 percent), which are affiliated with Thohir family, became the shareholders of Tri Indonesia after injected fresh capital around Rp47 trillion (US$3.36 billion) in 2019. Thohir entered the provider in 2013 by forming a consortium with Patrick Walujo, the founder of Northstar Capital.
Apart from Tri Indonesia, the Hong Kong conglomerate supported by tycoon, Victor Li, is also partnering with a state-owned port company, PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II in the Jakarta International Container Terminal. CK Hutchison Group is a company founded by Hong Kong conglomerate Li Ka-Shing.
Beside Indonesia, in Vietnam the company run HAT operation and operated mobile services under the brand, Vietnamobile. Then, Hutchison Telecommunications Lanka (Private) Ltd. joined with Etisalat Lanka (Private) Ltd run Hutch Sri Lanka with majority stake of 85 percent.
US$1: Rp14,000
Written by Editorial Staff, Email: theinsiderstories@gmail.com
