Latest Deals & M&A
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: land grabs, power-sharing, and an AI tidal wave
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including: plans for InfraCos to both attack and defend against challenges in the market with new land acquisition and energy plays; data centre prep for building ‘AI tidal wave’; a busy time for vendors in the evolving German infrastructure market; people moves; and plenty more…
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M&A
Vodafone−Three welcome deal’s security clearance as focus turns to antitrust
UK government green-lights merger (with caveats) after conducting security review, but Vodafone−Three are far from celebrating as the CMA’s investigation steps up a gear and leaves consolidation in doubt…
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Financial & Performance
Inwit boss hopes wave of Italian telco deals will halt sector decline
Wireless infra player’s General Manager Diego Galli sees prospective wave of Italian market consolidation as good news for operators’ suppliers, including TowerCos, by strengthening telcos’ cash position and arresting recent slump in spend.
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Financial & Performance
UK’s Digital 9 reshapes boardroom, weighs Arqiva options as wind-down progresses
Former Bank of Scotland exec Eric Sanderson named Chair to lead wind-down process, with one or more other Non-Execs to be added in near future. Steps made in asset sale but future of Arqiva stake not yet decided.
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: BT adds to concerns about Vodafone−Three UK merger, EE Finance gets Patterson’s Glow
Latest from BT and its ecosystem of partners and suppliers in a week where the UK’s competition authority revealed the level of concern it has about Vodafone UK’s proposed merger with Three — with BT’s networks found to be one potential flashpoint. EE continues retail revamp; Etc. ignites EV charging trial; and Business advances its Portfolio makeover…
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Strategy & Change
American Tower eyes US expansion of Power as a Service in efficiencies pursuit amidst M&A hiatus
ATC looks to ship high ROI ‘Power as a Service’ learnings to US market, having proven benefits in Africa, and to transfer US automation credentials to other geographies. Hunt for global efficiencies may also lead to monetisation of sub-scale assets, with focus on operational excellence meaning “nothing compelling” to buy, for now…
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M&A
T-Mobile swallows Mint in up-to-$1.2bn deal
DT’s American NatCo adds Mint and Ultra to its value brand portfolio following FCC approval.
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M&A
Merged Vodafone−Three ‘incentivised and able’ to ‘frustrate’, ‘harm’ BT — CMA
Merger-critical Competition & Markets Authority investigation is damning on logic and impact of combination, dubious of benefits. Network-sharing joint venture MBNL is at heart of concerns and may become a focus for any forthcoming ‘remedies’. Read more…
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M&A
T-Systems opts against sale of Austrian banking solutions unit, after review
Deutsche Telekom’s enterprise business steps back from plan to sell Vienna-based financial tech unit Software Daten Service, part of T-Systems for two decades.
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Financial & Performance
KPN hits five million fibre homes; open to ‘larger’ buy to boost build
Dutch telco remains interested in bolt-on fibre buyouts — including a ‘larger’ transaction — to speed up its flagship infrastructure programme.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: interesting infra times in Spain, a SatCo share drop lawsuit, and UK altnets’ ‘moment of peril’
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including consideration at Connected North of how altnets can balance urgent, and occasionally conflicting, priorities; Cellnex aiming to win as the Spanish mobile sector restructures, and exploring a new TowerCo paradigm in Poland; Phoenix Towers’ European expansion ambitions; legal woes compound setbacks at SpaceMobile; plus plenty more…
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M&A
Spain continues Telefónica share buy-up, reaching 6%
Further purchase from SEPI widens government’s lead as telco’s largest stakeholder, and marks continuation of wider plan to shore up national influence in the operator and defend strategic assets from foreign investors. Read more…
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M&A
Cellnex wants in on MásOrange integration, Spanish tower consolidation
Chief Executive Marco Patuano considers American Tower and Cellnex as likely consolidators in fragmented Spanish tower infrastructure market, as number of MNO customers shrinks. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
T-Mobile confirms fibre JV with EQT to buy Lumos
NatCo expects to invest close to $1.5bn in the JV and aims to pass 3.5m premises by 2028. Meanwhile, FWA subscribers surpass five million, the Mint Mobile deal wins regulatory approval, and long‑serving investor relations SVP Jud Henry takes on a new role in the TMUS finance organisation. Read more…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: leadership rotation follows Group structure reset
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem, including: senior people moves across the Group and its recently-reworked divisional set-up; Vodafone Portugal CEO puts on a brave face, presents potential M&A failure as ‘no big deal’; Group satcomms investment AST SpaceMobile faces class action after share price crash; and much more…
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M&A
Cellnex seeks co-investor to support Polish NetCo strategy
European tower group ‘actively working’ on plan for part-sale of Cellnex Poland, generating funds to fuel transformation of the business into a more fully-fledged NetCo, with both RAN assets and passive infra.
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M&A
Phoenix Tower remains ‘opportunistic’ on buyouts post-BlackRock deal
TowerXchange Meetup Europe: CEO of wireless infra group says it remains “ready to go” on Europe M&A despite many tower rivals looking cowed amid the tighter financing environment. March’s completion of fresh investment by asset management behemoth BlackRock has given confidence to pursue further deal-making opportunities. Claims edge on “carrier captive” rivals. Read more…
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M&A
Vodafone insists imperilled Portugal deal ‘not life or death’
Vodafone Portugal’s acquisition of market minnow Nowo looks set to be denied, but OpCo CEO Luís Lopes is unphased and remains confident of prospects regardless.
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M&A
Telefónica grows O2 Germany stake to 97%
Group splashes a further €175m on opportunistic stake increase, bringing total spend on O2 shares over last six months beyond €2bn. Move chimes with Group strategy to increase exposure to “attractive and stable” German market, while aiding O2 with strategic recalibration…
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Financial & Performance
Lightning Fibre’s quick insolvency switch could show the way for struggling altnets
Lightning Fibre’s £40m pre-pack sale out of administration and back into the hands of the investment fund that had supported its initial build may prove a template for struggling UK altnets as expectations on performance levels rise, but at what cost for suppliers and partners? Read more…