QTel, Qatar’s incumbent fixed line and mobile operator, is considering raising its shareholding in Philippines’ Liberty Telecoms. The state-owned Qatari telco is in talks with partner San Miguel, a Philippine conglomerate, to expand the venture, QTel’s…
QTel, Qatar’s incumbent fixed line and mobile operator, is considering raising its shareholding in Philippines’ Liberty Telecoms. The state-owned Qatari telco is in talks with partner San Miguel, a Philippine conglomerate, to expand the venture, QTel’s chairman, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saud Al-Thani, said.
Al-Thani was speaking at a conference and emphasised that QTel was committed to its investments in the Southeast Asian country and was seeking to expand its presence in Asia.
QTel holds 32.7% of Liberty and San Miguel holds 33%. Liberty, which was a dormant listed firm prior to QTel and San Miguel’s investment last year, focuses on wireless broadband services. It has a market value of nearly US$110m.
Liberty Telecoms, via its Wi-Tribe brand, launched its 4G broadband service in February, hoping to capture market share in the sector. Broadband subscribers comprise only around 3 million of the country’s 94 million population.
