LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Vodafone Qatar, the Qatar unit of Vodafone Group, the world's largest mobile phone operator in terms of sales, is preparing an initial public offering of its shares, a Vodafone spokesman said Tuesday.
The spokesman declined to provide further detail.
Zawya Dow Jones reported Monday that Vodafone Qatar, the gulf state's second mobile license holder, may sell up to 40% of its shares in the IPO.
Vodafone and partner Qatar Foundation Consortium won Qatar's second mobile license, beating AT&T and Verizon Communications in December, and operations are expected to start by the end of the year, Zawya Dow Jones reported.
The company may hire HSBC Holdings to arrange the IPO, the report said. HSBC couldn't immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.
-By Jessica Hodgson, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 207 842 92 93; jessica.hodgson@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
Posted to the site on 25th March 2008
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/30084.php