South Africa's Neotel may list on the JSE

Neotel [NEO.UL], South Africa's second-biggest fixed-line phone operator, may be listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange when the economic climate improves

Neotel, controlled by India's Tata group, is to spend up to 2 billion rand ($199.8 million) on a 5,000 km fibre optic cable network in partnership with mobile operator MTN (MTNJ.J).

Vodacom, South Africa's biggest mobile phone operator, may join MTN and Neotel to construct the network.

Neotel launched in 2006 after long delays and employs more than 900 people. It began offering telephone and Internet services to corporate clients in March 2007.