Vodafone eyes Singapore
Date: 10/04/2001
By Kevin Morrison
Australia's third largest mobile operator, Vodafone Pacific, is turning its attention to the Asia-Pacific region after missing out on the mobile phone operations of Cable & Wireless Optus.
It is understood that Vodafone Pacific, together with its British parent, Vodafone Airtouch plc, has expressed an interest in buying MobileOne, Singapore's second largest mobile operator. This will pit Vodafone against Telstra, which is also believed to be interested in the carrier.
Vodafone Pacific chief executive Dr Brian Clark has management responsibility for South-East Asia, an area in which the Vodafone Airtouch group is notably absent.
Telecom analysts said Vodafone would target Asia as an area for future growth, as it faces slowing growth in its key European markets, which means that Vodafone Pacific would have a bigger role to play in the group's plans for Asia.
Analysts said the regional focus would also change the appeal of any future listing of Vodafone Pacific, as it would have interests in high growth countries of South-East Asia where mobile penetration rates are lower than Australia. Vodafone Pacific now has operations in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
A spokeswoman for Vodafone Pacific said the group was not actively looking at attempting another partial float, following its aborted float last May.
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