A Deal with Consortium CMobil

Czech telecoms group Ceske Radiokomunikace reached a deal with consortium CMobil to speed up re-alignment of their mobile phone joint venture and pave the way for Radiokomunikace's privatization. Radiokomunikace said in a statement that it had agreed that CMobil, led by a unit of Deutsche Telekom AG, would pay to take a majority stake in the fast-growing Radiomobil venture, clearing the way for the sale of Radiokomunikace. The company said that CMobil will raise its stake in Radiomobil to 60.77 percent from 49 percent and will and pay compensation to Radiokomunikace in the first quarter of next year, several months earlier than previously agreed. The government has called on CMobil to speed up the transaction to clear the way for privatization. Radiokomunikace has not disclosed the specific size of the compensation, but it has said it is in the range of USD 550 million, a sum larger than the company's equity. Radiokomunikace shares firmed CZK 19 on the news to 1575 but had retreated to CZK 1554 by around 1500 GMT, still up 4.09 percent on the session.