AIG Global Investment Group has mandated Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and UBS for securing EUR 1.4bn financing for the acquisition of Bulgaria ’s main telecom operator BTC. AIG Capital Partners, part of AIG Global Investment Group, has signed a EUR 1.08bn deal for taking over 65% of BTC in the beginning of the month. AIG Capital Partners will acquire additional 25% of the share capital in BTC that will raise the acquisition cost to about EUR 1.5bn. The contract is arranged with Iceland ’s investment group Novator as the holder of a call option on the 65% stake owned by the private equity firm Viva Ventures. It is believed however that Novator’s total ownership in BTC through related entities exceeds 90%. BTC forecasts a revenue hike by 4-5% to BGN 1.06bn (BGN 542mn) this year on continuous expansion of Internet and wireless services. However, the telecom expects its consolidated net profit from landline and wireless services to drop this year due to the early stage of development of the wireless arm BTC Mobile, traded as vivatel. BTC Mobile has launched operations in late 2005. It is the third wireless operator in the country with a market share of about 8% and a customer base of slightly less than 1mn in terms of active SIM cards.