Vodafone Qatar has announced a non-binding agreement to acquire the Qatar National Broadband Network (QNBN).
The deal, believed to be worth around $57 million, would see the smaller of Qatar’s two major operators take full control over QNBN. The state-owned network has wholesale agreements in place with both Vodafone Qatar and market leader Ooredoo.
Vodafone has stated that the acquisition will “enable Vodafone Qatar to deliver the benefits of choice to customers in the fixed-line market in Qatar”. The group has not confirmed whether a quad-play offering is in the pipeline.
Once it has received the requisite regulatory approval – which it expects “subject to all conditions being fulfilled” - Vodafone Qatar expects the deal to be closed before the end of the year.
Vodafone Group and the state-run Qatar Foundation each hold a 22% stake in Vodafone Qatar, with the rest of its shares listed publicly. Vodafone has notably been acquiring broadband providers in a group-wide effort to augment its triple and quad-play offering.
