Johannesburg - Talk may be cheap, but it could be cheaper for South Africans. That's thanks to what must now be described as a rare debt transaction on Wednesday, which saw telecommunications outfit Neotel raise R4.4bn.
The funds will be ploughed into upgrading SA's telecommunication network, and takes total funds raised by the group to R7.5bn.
Neotel is a converged SA communications network operator which has introduced a fibre-optic backbone to the country's major metropolitan areas, supported by next-generation technology combining mobile and fixed-line offerings.
Neotel had already raised R3.1bn via equity participation, but the R4.4bn debt unveiled on Wednesday is an even more remarkable feat given the credit deficit in world markets. Neotel CEO and MD Ajay Pandey described it as "spectacular".
A consortium of banks, including Nedbank Capital, Investec and the Development Bank of SA, helped arrange terms ranging from seven to 10 years.
"Closing off this deal has taken us on a very long journey, with a lot of trials and tribulations," said Nedbank Capital head of infrastructure project finance Mike Poe.
"But that's really history because now we have signed a new debt facility for a new generation network to bring down the price of telecommunications for all SA citizens."
The equity portion of finance, approximately R3.1bn, came from Tata Communications of India as well as black empowerment group Nexus and Tata Africa.
Tata, which has a 26% stake in Neotel, is waiting for competition authorities to give it the thumbs-up to finalise the acquisition of a 30% stake owned by Transnet and Eskom.
'New benchmark'
Eskom and Transnet were each granted a 15% stake in Neotel in November 2001, contributing their telecoms assets to form the basis of the new operator.
"The R3.1bn equity will be injected into Neotel to finance its capital expenditure programme and will come from existing shareholders," said Pandey.
The R7.5bn project financing, according to Poe, is Neotel's peak funding requirement and was sufficient to fund its capex plans.
"At this moment, we will not look for any more funding. Our business is generating revenues and the balance we need for our capital expenditure will come from operating revenue," said Pandey.
Neotel claims to have inspired a 25% to 30% price reduction in the telecommunications market, which Pandey said had "created a new benchmark".
Incrementally, Neotel's enterprise offering has taken 20-25% market share, according to Pandey, who also said that in three to four years time, he would be happy to get 15% of the market.
Neotel's consumer offering coverage was still "limited" but it would be enhanced. "More fibre has to be placed into the ground, and we are also creating data centres in Midrand and Cape Town," he said.
The much-vaunted Seacom fibre optic cable, which was being placed undersea to link the east of the African continent to India and France and provide high-speed internet at low cost, would boost Neotel's revenues.
Neotel had partnered with Seacom. This had allowed the sea cable manufacturer to use Neotel's licence on SA shores, and to link SA to Europe, India and the rest of Africa. This would be at a fraction of the cost and at the speed of light, Pandey said.
- Fin24.com