Calcutta, Sept. 17: Bharti Airtel is scouting for opportunities in West Asia and Africa. However, it might not be smooth run for the telecom major.

Bharti has mobile services in Seychelles and the Channel Islands of Guernsey, part of the British Isles.

“We are on the constant lookout for opportunities. Markets such as West Asia and Africa have great potential. However, in these countries and even in Europe, the licence and acquisition costs are rising,” chairman and managing director Sunil Bharti Mittal said on the sidelines of the CII meeting here today.

The company will test the waters with its Channel Islands foray to decide on its future strategy in other Eurpoean markets.

Bharti plans to extend its successful business model in India to other Asia-Pacific countries.

The company’s operations in Sri Lanka are also set to take off by January next year. It will be the fifth operator to enter the market. Bharti is also eyeing the Saarc countries.

Bharti Airtel has received a facilities-based operator licence in Singapore that permits the company to offer global voice and data services in that country.

The licence was awarded to the company’s subsidiary, Bharti Airtel (Singapore).

Bharti will have a point of presence in Singapore to integrate its cables with other service providers.

On the demerger of the tower business, Mittal said after the process was completed in October, the company would explore private placement options.

Mittal also admitted that spectrum shortage was affecting the quality of service.

The Bharti chief said he could only hope that 2G and 2.5G allocation happens soon.