MTN has vigorously denied press speculation that it has approached India’s Bharti regarding a revival of their merger talks. The South African operator is still locked in talks with Bharti’s rival Indian operator, Reliance Communications (R-Com), though problems with the deal have forced the two companies to extend their exclusive negotiation period by a further two weeks. India’s Economic Times reported yesterday that MTN had “informally sent feelers to Bharti,” suggesting that the MTN/Reliance negotiations had hit further problems. However, in a statement, MTN spokeswoman Nozipho January-Bardill said: “MTN has not made any advances to Bharti. Normally we don’t comment on speculation, but this time we refute this.”

Talks between MTN and Bharti broke down in May, reportedly over Bharti’s refusal to become an MTN subsidiary. MTN and R-Com entered exclusive merger talks shortly afterwards but the deal has been complicated by a feud between R-Com chairman Anil Ambani Ambani and his brother, Mukesh Ambani, chairman of sister company, Reliance Industries. The latter has reportedly threatened to block the sale of a controlling stake in R-Com to a third-party.