DT may consider selling certain mobile towers
Germany’s Deutsche Telekom is currently evaluating options for some of its European assets, including mobile towers, according to a press report.
Unnamed sources cited by Bloomberg said Deutsche Telekom has hired advisors to help it consider its options, some of which include the sale of certain assets as well as an initial public offering. However, the sources said the deliberations are at an early stage and DT has not made a final decision about which assets would be included.
“Deutsche Telekom is aware of what some of our competitors are doing in this respect, and we are considering what could make sense for us and what not,” said company spokesman Andreas Leigers.
DT CFO Thomas Dannenfeldt last month said the telecom operator had approximately 40,000 mobile towers across its European footprint and that it was open to analyzing a new asset strategy.
In February 2015, Telefonica announced the creation of a new company called Telxius, which will manage certain infrastructure assets of the group. Telxius will initially manage approximately 15,000 telecommunication towers in Spain and other countries, as well as Telefonica Group´s international network of 31,000 kilometers of submarine fiber optic cable. Telefonica said the move will allow it to monetize assets and obtain new funding to reduce debt and boost investments.
Telecom Italia last year raised 875.3 million euros ($970.5 million) from an initial public offering for its tower business Inwit. The European telco is now seeking to reduce its stake in Inwit and has attracted interest from a consortium of Cellnex and F2i, which next week is expected to announce plans to buy 45% of Inwit.
IHS acquires 1,200 telecoms towers in Nigeria
Telecom infrastructure provider IHS Holdings said it acquired 1,211 tower sites across Nigeria from Helios Towers. IHS said the transaction, which is subject of regulatory approval, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2016.
IHS currently owns more than 23,300 telecommunications towers in Nigeria, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia and Rwanda.
