Singapore Telecommunications has proposed extending its takeover offer period for Cable & Wireless Optus by a month to September 3.
In its second extension, SingTel said in a statement its subsidiary SingTel Australia was continuing to hold detailed discussions with the country's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) for approval of its AU$17 billion bid for Optus.
SingTel said the FIRB application was progressing well and that it remained confident of resolving outstanding issues.
It said FIRB approval may not be received by August 3, making it necessary to extend the offer period. On June 22, SingTel had extended the offer period by a month to August 3.
SingTel said the latest extension should not be taken to imply that the conditions of the offer, including FIRB approval, would be satisfied by September 3.
Australia's Defence Department has lodged its formal submission on SingTel's bid.
Defence director general communications systems Gunnar Tuisk said the long-awaited submission to the FIRB canvassed the department's recently announced security deal with SingTel and other issues.
"It is a substantial submission and now that is in the hands of FIRB and the government," Tuisk told Reuters.
The Defence Department signed a deed of arrangement with SingTel last month to protect Australian military communications and its investment in a AU$500 million satellite joint venture if the Asian carrier gained control of Optus.
The deal, aimed at overcoming security concerns, was seen as SingTel's last major obstacle in the takeover.
Tuisk said at the time that the Defence Department "may have concerns about a wider national interest" relating to SingTel's takeover, but he declined to say whether any such concerns were included in the submission.
