[May 24, 2013] AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, telecommunications briefs [AME Info, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates] Tweet (AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 23--AXIATA EVALUATING BID FOR STC'S INDONESIAN AFFILIATE: Malaysia's largest mobile-phone operator Axiata Group is assessing a bid for PT Axis Telekom Indonesia, Bloomberg has reported, citing three people with knowledge of the matter. Axis, 84 percent-owned by Saudi Telecom Co (STC), is valued at about $1bn including debt, according to an estimate from Saudi Fransi Capital. Malaysia's Maxis Communications also holds a stake in the company. BATELCO CEO STEPS DOWN: Batelco has said Sheikh Mohamed bin Isa Al-Khalifa has stepped down as group CEO and Peter Kaliaropoulos would lead operations at the telecoms operator, Reuters has reported. Kaliaropoulos has been named as chief operating officer and he, along with a three-person committee, will lead the telecom operator until a new CEO is hired, it said. "Due to the separation between Batelco Group CEO and the company, Batelco's chairman Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has announced that a supervisory committee and chief operating officer have been appointed to lead the operation until a new group chief executive officer is appointed," Batelco said. ETISALAT'S NIGERIAN AFFILIATE SECURES $1.2BN REFINANCING FACILITY: Etisalat has said its Nigeria affiliate has signed a $1.2bn refinancing loan with 13 Nigerian banks, Reuters has reported. The medium-term facility will be used to refinance an existing $650m loan and bolster Etisalat Nigeria's network, Etisalat said. VODAFONE QATAR POSTS 30 percent GROWTH IN CUSTOMER BASE: Vodafone Qatar has said its mobile base has grew by 30 percent year-on-year to 1,084,000 customers as at March 31, 2013, the Peninsula has reported. "To have 56 percent of the population using our services is a great achievement for our shareholders, staff and partners," said Vodafone Qatar's CEO, Richard Daly. Vodafone will report its financial results for the year ended March 31, 2013, following a board meeting on June 3, 2013. ___ (c)2013 AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) Visit AME Info (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates) at www.ameinfo.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]