GTL Acquires Malaysian Firm For $25 M

Mumbai: GTL Ltd has acquired the Malaysia-based ADA Cellworks - a player in the network planning and optimisation space - in an all cash deal of $25 million (Rs 100 crore).

The acquisition will give GTL an opportunity to cement its presence in the fast growing Southeast Asian markets and benefit from ADA’s long-term relationships with telecom vendors and service providers globally, Milind Bengali, head of mergers and acquisition, GTL, told Business Line.

GTL International, a subsidiary of GTL Ltd, will purchase the 100 per cent stake of ADA from the promoters, Intel Capital and Malaysian Venture Capital Management.

ADA Cellworks offers radio and transmission planning, network services, in-building design and project management, and has competencies developed in implementing virtual planning and optimisation and WiMAX.

The company has experience in executing over 80 projects across 24 countries with significant presence in China, Indonesia, Taiwan and India. ADA Cellworks expects revenue of approximately $31 million for fiscal 2008.

The acquisition will strengthen the services of network planning and design, network operations and maintenance, and professional services of GTL.

“The acquisition marks GTL’s foray into profitable markets such as Taiwan and China. We now see a lot of network optimisation opportunities in these geographies,” said Bengali.

It will also strengthen GTL’s relationships with leading telecom technology providers such as Nokia Siemens Networks, Alcatel Lucent, Motorola, Ericsson and Huawei.