Reliance Communications shares leaps up after announcing telecom tower deal with Brookfield

Shares of Reliance Communications (RCom) on Friday went up by nearly 3 per cent after the company announced the sale of 51 per cent stake in its telecom tower business to Canada-based Brookfield Infrastructure Group, for an upfront cash payment of Rs 11,000 crore.

The scrip went up 2.57 per cent to end at Rs 47.90 on BSE. Intra-day, it surged 3.64 per cent to Rs 48.40. At NSE, shares of the company rose 2.56 per cent to end at Rs 47.90.

The company's market valuation advanced by Rs 299.21 croreto Rs 11,922.21 crore.Volumewise, 30.12 lakh shares of the company were traded on BSE and over 2 crore shares changed hands at NSE during the day.

"RCom will receive an upfront cash payment of Rs 11,000crore from the proposed transaction. RCom will also enjoy 49per cent future economic upside from the towers business,based on certain conditions," the company said in a statement.

RCom plans to utilise the sale proceeds to reduce debt,the statement added.

Sources pointed out that RCom will retain 49 per centstake in the business to be monetised later, as it expectsconsiderable value creation on account of projected growth intower tenancies over the next couple of years.