Telecommunications Divestitures in 2020
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- Buyer
- Bluebird Network
- Target
- ColoHub Data Center
- Seller
- Geneseo Communications
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Iowa, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Bluebird Network acquired the ColoHub Data Center in Bettendorf, Iowa (effective December 31, 2020) from Geneseo Communications, expanding Bluebird’s Midwest data center footprint and complementing its underground facility in Springfield, Missouri. The deal strengthens Bluebird’s fiber and edge data center capabilities across Iowa and Illinois, providing additional low-latency and disaster recovery options for carriers and enterprise customers in the region.
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October 19, 2020
- Buyer
- Verizon Communications Inc.
- Target
- Bluegrass Cellular
- Seller
- Bluegrass Cellular
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Kentucky, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Verizon Communications has signed an agreement to acquire certain assets of Bluegrass Cellular, a rural wireless operator serving central Kentucky with roughly 210,000 customers across 34 counties. The transaction—subject to FCC approval—is intended to expand Verizon's footprint in Kentucky and will transition Bluegrass customers and employees to Verizon; closing was expected late 2020 or early 2021.
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- Buyer
- I Squared Capital
- Target
- GTT infrastructure division (assets including Interoute, Hibernia and KPN International assets; later relaunched as EXA Infrastructure)
- Seller
- GTT Communications, Inc.
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Virginia, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
I Squared Capital agreed to acquire GTT Communications' infrastructure division for $2.15 billion. The sale transfers a global fiber network, transatlantic subsea cables and data center/colocation assets to I Squared (later relaunched as EXA Infrastructure), allowing GTT to refocus on its capex‑light cloud networking business.
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October 1, 2020
- Buyer
- Enea Software AB
- Target
- Aptilo Holding AB
- Seller
- Norvestor V, L.P., Norvestor V SBS, L.P.
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Sweden
- Type
- Divestiture
Enea Software AB has acquired Aptilo Holding AB from Norvestor V, L.P. and Norvestor V SBS, L.P. The acquisition adds Aptilo’s carrier-class policy and access control solutions for carrier Wi‑Fi and IoT to Enea’s telecom and cybersecurity product portfolio, strengthening Enea’s offerings for 5G, Wi‑Fi 6 and SaaS-based service management.
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August 31, 2020
- Buyer
- Intelsat
- Target
- Gogo Commercial Aviation (commercial aviation business of Gogo Inc.)
- Seller
- Gogo Inc.
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Virginia, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
Intelsat agreed to acquire the commercial aviation business of Gogo for $400 million in cash, combining Intelsat's global satellite network with Gogo's installed base of more than 3,000 commercial aircraft. The deal (approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia) is intended to expand Intelsat's in-flight broadband capabilities and deliver integrated IFEC solutions to airlines and passengers.
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May 1, 2020
- Buyer
- Searchlight Capital Partners, L.P., WaveDivision Capital, LLC (WDC), Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments), British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments)
- Target
- Frontier Communications (Northwest operations and assets)
- Seller
- Frontier Communications
- Industry
- Telecommunications
- Location
- Washington, United States
- Type
- Divestiture
A Searchlight Capital Partners-led investor group, together with WaveDivision Capital (WDC), PSP Investments, BCI and CPP Investments, completed the $1.352 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications' Northwest operations and assets and committed an additional $500 million for network and service improvements to form Ziply Fiber. The new company, headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, will focus on upgrading the region to predominantly all-fiber service for roughly 500,000 residential and business subscribers across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
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