FACTBOX-India's Bharti in talks with MTN

May 9 (Reuters) - India's top mobile operator Bharti Airtel
Ltd (BRTI.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) has said it is in exploratory talks with South
Africa's MTN Group (MTNJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research), but has not yet made a bid.

Media reports have said it is eyeing a stake of 51 percent
at a value of around $19 billion, which would create the
world's sixth-largest mobile company with 130 million
subscribers in more than 20 countries.

Following are key facts about the two companies:

Bharti Airtel MTN Revenue
$6.5 bln (FY ended March) $9.6 bln (FY ended Dec) Profit
$1.6 bln $1.4 bln Market Cap $37.5 bln

$39.8 bln Subscriber 62 mln (end-March)

68 mln (end-March)

Bharti Airtel is the leading operator in India, the world's
fastest-growing wireless market. It plans to launch services in
Sri Lanka and its parent has telecom interests in Jersey,
Guernsey and Seychelles.

MTN operates in 21 countries in Africa and Middle East. The
bulk of its subscribers are in South Africa, Nigeria, Iran,
Ghana, Syria, Cameroon, and Uganda. It is Africa's largest
mobile phone operator.

MTN's major competitors: * Vodacom Group - South Africa's
biggest mobile phone operator is jointly owned by Britain's
Vodafone (VOD.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Telkom (TKGJ.J: Quote, Profile, Research), South Africa's largest
fixed-line operator. Vodafone also has a majority stake in
India's third-largest mobile carrier, unlisted Vodafone Essar.

* Cell C [CELL.UL] - Unlisted Cell C, South Africa's
third-ranked mobile operator, is majority owned by Saudi
Arabian group Saudi Oger.

* Mobile Telecommunications Co (ZAIN.KW: Quote, Profile, Research) - Kuwait's Mobile
Telecommunications (Zain) operates in 20 countries in the
Middle East and Africa.

Top global wireless firms by subscribers (millions)
China Mobile (0941.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) - 392 (end-March)
Vodafone (VOD.L: Quote, Profile, Research) - 252 (end-Dec)
Telefonica SA (TEF.MC: Quote, Profile, Research) - 169 (end-Dec)
China Unicom (0762.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) - 167 (end-March)
America Movil (AMX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) - 159 (end-March)
Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) - 120 (end-Dec)

Major M&A in global telecoms in recent years:
Date Completed Target Buyer Deal
value
Dec 19, 2006 BellSouth Corp AT&T Inc $89
bln
Apr 19, 2006 O2 Plc Telefonica SA $32
bln
Aug 12, 2005 Nextel Communications Sprint Corp $47
bln
($1=41.6 rupees) ($1=7.6 rand)
(Source: Thomson Reuters; Reuters News; company websites)
(Compiled by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by John Mair)