Bharti Airtel jumps 2 percent in morning trade on Rwanda licences

Mumbai: Shares of the country’s largest telecom operator, Bharti airtel, surged as much as 2 percent in morning trade on the bourses today after the company announced that it has bagged 2G and 3G licences in Rwanda.

Shares of the company opened on a strong note at Rs 404.45 on the Bombay Stock Exchange and then rallied further to an early high of Rs 407 apiece, a jump of nearly 2 percent vis-a-vis their previous closing price.

Similar movement was witnessed on the National Stock Exchange as the stock, after opening on a bullish note, gained as much as 2 percent to Rs 407.

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However, the stock saw some of the initial gains pared in later trade and was being quoted at Rs 406.40, up 1.80 percent, on the BSE and at Rs 405.80, up 1.58 percent, on the NSE at 1035 hours.

Bharti airtel yesterday announced that it will launch 2G and 3G mobile services in Rwanda, for which it has earmarked an investment of $100 million over the next three years.

As per the announcement that came after market hours yesterday, Bharti airtel has been awarded licences to operate mobile services by the Rwanda government.

Rwanda is amongst the fastest growing telecom markets in Africa. According to the National Statistics Institute of Rwanda, mobile penetration in the country stood at 38.4 percent as of July, 2011, the statement said.

“Rwanda is a key telecom market with immense growth potential and will strengthen Bharti airtel’s footprint in East Africa,” Bharti airtel Chairman and Managing Director Sunil Mittal had said yesterday.

Airtel already has a presence in 16 African countries, including Burkina Faso, Chad, the Democratic Republic ofCongo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.