LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Russian regional fixed-line operator North-West Telecom (NWT) has signed a $150 million, three-year syndicated term loan via initial mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners ING, Natixis and UniCredit Group, the lenders announced on Thursday.
The deal launched for $200 million in September but has been reduced because of market turmoil, though no changes were made to the pricing.
The deal carries a margin of 275 basis points (bps) over LIBOR, which was set when the arranging banks were awarded the mandate in July 2008 and the deal was underwritten.
Proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt and finance infrastructure investments.
WestLB joined the transaction as a mandated lead arranger and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken as an arranger.
The facility is amortising, with eight equal quarterly repayments after a 15-month grace period.
NWT, controlled by national telecoms holding Svyazinvest, is a fixed-line operator servicing the northwestern region.
The borrower is rated BB- by Standard and Poor's and Fitch.

(Reporting by Christopher Mangham, editing by Will Waterman) Keywords: NORTHWESTTEL/LOANS XX:SU:REUTERS#SN:nL6766032#XX:364428.0#HS:RAMSTXT_9088_2008-11-6_150506_4_310#DU:lanreunxd1+lanreunxd2+lanreznxd1+lanreznxd2+rekwire+reawire+rexwire#XN:##XP:tfukfipdistw.datastream.com ~ (christopher.mangham@reuters.com; +44 20 7542 3582; Reuters Messaging: christopher.mangham.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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