Bharti to buy out Alcatel in JV

Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it will acquire the entire equity stake of Alcatel Lucent India in Alcatel Lucent Managed Network Service India as part of a new business model for managing fixed line and DSL broadband networks.

“Bharti will initially acquire the entire equity stake of Alcatel Lucent India in Alcatel Lucent Managed Network Service India -- a joint venture between Bharti and Alcatel Lucent India – to manage and deploy the former’s fixed line and broadband network in India,” the company said in a statement, adding it has introduced a new business model on the line of Indus Towers.

The firm’s subsidiary Bharti Infratel has 42% stake in Indus Towers.
The company will operate independent of Bharti, and invite other operators to join in with equity participation and bring the management of their broadband and fixed line networks under its fold, going forward, it said.

 “This new model, along with our recently launched Network Experience Centre, will provide us greater control over the delivery of a world-class data experience to customers across our portfolio of networks,” said Sanjay Kapoor, CEO (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel.

The company did not disclose any financial details.
The telecom operator provides broadband (DSL), data and telephone services (fixed line) in 87 cities across India with 3.3 million customers.