Some financing, some federal funding, and some nextgen technology prep: … [visit site to read more]

Press Release

BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary Bell Canada (“Bell”) has entered into a definitive agreement with global investment group La Caisse, which will acquire a 49.9% stake in a newly formed wireless tower infrastructure company for a purchase price of CAD $2.45 billion, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction values the tower company at approximately $4.91 billion and surfaces significant value in BCE’s infrastructure.

The partial monetization of Bell’s passive wireless infrastructure assets is consistent with BCE’s long-term capital allocation strategy set out at Investor Day 2025, including its commitment to a net debt leverage ratio of 3.5x² by the end of 2027 and its flexibility to fund key growth areas, including AI-powered solutions.

The new wireless tower infrastructure company, “TowerCo”, will own and operate Bell’s portfolio of wireless infrastructure assets, making it Canada’s largest dedicated tower company with more than 5,000 sites across the country. The Montréal-headquartered company will focus on growing the business through new site builds, site densification and third-party colocation.

Under the terms of the agreement, TowerCo will lease capacity on the transferred towers to Bell. Bell will retain a 50.1% controlling equity interest in TowerCo, with La Caisse holding the remaining 49.9%. TowerCo is expected to have no financial debt at closing and its financial results will be consolidated by Bell into its financial statements.

Bell will retain full ownership and control of its spectrum, all active network equipment and owned land. Bell will maintain access to existing sites through long-term agreements and TowerCo will develop new sites for Bell as needed, ensuring continued delivery of high-quality, reliable wireless services to Canadians.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, following receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

“This partnership unlocks the significant value embedded in our infrastructure assets while continuing to operate the award-winning wireless network our customers rely on every day. As we have consistently communicated since early 2025, our approach is to strengthen our balance sheet, invest in growth and deliver total returns to shareholders. This transaction is in keeping with that approach, and the proceeds will be used to execute against this very clear strategy,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada.

“A telecom tower can carry more than one network. By making this infrastructure available to different service providers, we can strengthen coverage, improve overall system efficiency, hence helping more people access the connectivity they rely on every day. Bell’s extensive footprint and La Caisse’s global digital infrastructure expertise will give this new platform the focus and long-term perspective to grow,” said Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice-President and Head of Infrastructure and Sustainability at La Caisse.

“At TowerCo, we’re building a dedicated team exclusively focused on the development, operation and long-term growth of premier wireless tower infrastructure across Canada. By partnering with La Caisse on a clear mandate, we are well positioned to grow this infrastructure portfolio and support future network deployment to provide the connectivity that matters most to Canadians,” said J. Bruce Furlong, CEO, TowerCo.

Also in the news
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Press Release

Purchase of Inventory Estate paves the way for a new high-density, AI-ready data centre

KDDI Corporation and Telehouse International Corporation of Europe Limited have completed the purchase of the Inventory Estate in East India Dock, London from LaSalle Investment Management and Trilogy Real Estate for more than £220 million (US$294 million).

The land acquisition will support a new high-density, AI-ready data centre as part of the expansion of Telehouse’s existing London Docklands campus, the most connected data centre campus in Europe.

The site’s proximity to the campus offers the opportunity to add capacity at scale, capitalise on the well-established connectivity ecosystem operating at the campus, and meet future customer demand amid increasing constraints on land and power.

The planned development will offer high-performance digital infrastructure including high-density colocation services, low-latency connectivity, and AI-led workloads. 65 MVA of power has been secured for the site, providing a foundation for phased, long-term expansion.

The purchase reinforces Telehouse’s long-term commitment to investing in the UK’s digital infrastructure and the continued growth of the country’s digital economy. It follows the announcement of Telehouse West Two, a nine-storey data centre building currently in development at the Telehouse London Docklands campus, which is due for completion in 2028.

As plans for this latest development progress, Telehouse will continue its longstanding, proactive engagement with local stakeholders and the wider Tower Hamlets community, with a focus on sustainable development, local investment, and employment opportunities.

Mark Pestridge, Managing Director, Telehouse Europe, says: “The purchase of the Inventory Estate represents an important step in the long-term development of our London Docklands campus, one of Europe’s leading connectivity hubs. It provides space for future expansion to support our customers’ digital growth ambitions, including the crucial innovation that is taking place across industries such as healthcare, education, and financial services. As demand for AI-ready infrastructure grows, we remain focused on sustainable operations, community engagement, and creating opportunities in the local area.”

Takayo Takamuro, Executive Officer, European Chief Executive, Board Director, Telehouse, says, “This acquisition supports the next phase of our growth and our commitment to supporting customers’ AI ambitions. The new data centre will be one of the largest facilities in the Telehouse London Docklands campus, reinforcing its role as the leading connectivity hub in Europe.”

Chris Lewis, Head of UK Transactions, LaSalle Investment Management, added: “The extensive refurbishment works undertaken in partnership with Trilogy Real Estate to regenerate East India Dock into a world-class mixed-use innovation campus have paved the way for this next exciting development on the Inventory Estate. We look forward to watching its progress as the Docklands are set to host an important AI-ready data centre, critical to powering London’s tech sector.”

Also in the news
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Podcasts

Mike Dano, a lead industry analyst at Ookla, has identified more than half a dozen ISPs that could be M&A targets. We talked to him about what’s behind the trend.

By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Recent analysis from Ookla’s Mike Dano has identified a handful of ISPs that stand out from the pack as targets for potential acquisition.

Speaking to Beyond the Cable, Dano said a combination of factors is driving M&A in 2026, including political factors.

The list includes names you’d expect: Allo Fiber, Gateway Fiber, LiveOak Fiber, Wire 3, Ripple Fiber, Intrepid Fiber, and Ezee Fiber.

While the M&A trend in telecom is undeniable, with AI and BEAD also playing major roles, Dano says he’s most interested in how the convergence is going to play out.

He said fiber is one element of the tapestry of telecom.

“We’ve got satellite players that are making an increasing impact in the industry, we’ve have fixed wireless that is obviously gobbling up a lot of net broadband customers in recent years,” he said.

Dano said he wants to know if the combination of a mobile and fixed service plays a key role in coming years, and how that eventually impacts fiber providers.

“Once you roll up these fiber networks, then what?” he asked.

Watch the full interview with Dano on Spotify or listen to it on Apple Podcasts in full.

Dano’s full analysis on the subject is available in a September 28 post titled “Assessing the ‘Land Grab’ in the U.S. Fiber Market: Who’s Next?” on Ookla’s website.

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Hayo, a global digital service provider, says it has expanded its presence in East Africa by establishing operations in Tanzania with the aim of helping to design, build and run critical digital infrastructure.

Hayo says its new office in Dar es Salaam brings its on-the-ground expertise and operational capabilities closer to governments and operators across the region, supporting the development of resilient digital ecosystems.

The expansion into Tanzania is part of the company’s continued investment in local digital infrastructure across East Africa. Hayo says it works closely with governments to strengthen national capability, improve public services, safeguard consumers, and enhance national security.

It also supports operators in protecting critical networks, enabling trusted digital identity, and creating new commercial value from network capabilities.

Hayo provides a range of govtech and operator solutions spanning national mobile registries, SMS and voice firewalls, network intelligence, and APIs.

Vimal Odedra, Chief Product & Marketing Officer at Hayo, explains: “Tanzania is an important market for us, with huge opportunities to work more closely with public authorities, regulators and network operators. Expanding our local operations gives us the local insight and teams to better understand customer priorities, respond quickly, and remain accountable for the outcomes we deliver.”

Hayo says its end-to-end approach spans strategy and commercial design through to deployment, operation and continuous optimisation, combining local expertise with long-term operational ownership.

Tanzania is the latest addition to Hayo’s growing presence across Africa, including Rwanda and Senegal earlier this year, and Botswana, Liberia and Malawi in 2025.

Two bits of interconnection and partnership news, one from Europe and one from southeast Asia: … [visit site to read more]

Malaysian service provider U Mobile has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) relating to in-building coverage (IBC).

The aim is to explore the provision of 4G and 5G in-building coverage (IBC) at the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine Complex (ICQC) in Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru near the border with Singapore. The complex forms a key part of the proposed Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.

The collaboration will help to ensure that this important cross-border transport gateway is ready to provide reliable mobile connectivity when the RTS Link commences operation, supporting a more connected and convenient travel experience between Malaysia and Singapore.

The RTS Link will carry an estimated 40,000 passengers daily upon opening. As a key component of the RTS Link, the ICQC will serve as an important transit point for cross-border commuters and visitors. Reliable mobile connectivity within the facility will be essential to support everyday travel needs, from accessing journey information and coordinating onward transport to staying connected with family, colleagues and businesses.

The initiative will also support the connectivity needs of approximately 600 government agency personnel currently based at the complex. 

Under the MoU, U Mobile and MRT Corp will explore the commercial, technical, and operational framework required to provide 4G and 5G in-building coverage within the ICQC. The collaboration will allow U Mobile to connect its network to MRT Corp’s IBC infrastructure and extend its 4G and 5G coverage throughout the facility, subject to a definitive agreement, technical requirements and relevant approvals.

Beyond enhancing mobile connectivity, 5G IBC can also provide the foundation for future 5G and AI-powered digital use cases within the complex, supporting smarter building operations, greater operational efficiency and an enhanced passenger experience.

U Mobile says the collaboration forms part of its ongoing expansion of quality connectivity across strategic public infrastructure and high traffic locations, with its 5G IBC footprint now spanning more than 250 sites nationwide.

News

The partnership includes supporting geospatial mapping and biodiversity monitoring

Earlier this year, wildfires devastated the Cairngorms National Park, destroying thousands of hectares of one of the UK’s most ancient forests. With the country “woefully underprepared” for the impacts of climate change, experts fear that wildfires will become more frequent in future.

To help meet this challenge, VodafoneThree and UK National Parks have struck a three-year partnership aiming to use technology to help better understand the extent of the damage and prevent future recurrences of wildfires.

The agreement, announced during the Government’s Wildfire Resilience Summit last week, aims to improve prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. This includes AI-powered habitat mapping and technologies such as geospatial mapping, IoT sensors, and smart wireless cameras to provide data on biodiversity, visitor impact, and habitat health. Combined, these technologies will provide a better understanding of burn severity and landscape features that help to slow the spread of the fire.

“As climate-related risks become more frequent and severe, collaboration will be essential to protecting some of the UK’s most important natural assets and the communities that depend on them,” said Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer for VodafoneThree. “Together with National Parks UK and the Cairngorms National Park, we’re launching a new programme that will support recovery from recent wildfire damage while helping strengthen resilience to future fires. Connectivity can play an important role in emergency preparedness and response, and this programme demonstrates how technology, local expertise and long-term commitment can come together to support communities facing changing climate.”

In addition to the technical collaboration, the new programme also includes provisions for strategic land management, including the creation of ponds across the region that can be used to supply firefighters with water.

The partnership highlights how telecoms infrastructure and data-driven technologies can play an increasingly important role in climate resilience, helping emergency services and land managers make more informed decisions to protect vulnerable landscapes and communities.

Also in the news
Shared Rural Network rollout extends to UK national parks with over 150 4G masts live
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Three bits of interesting infrastructure development from EMEA. … [visit site to read more]

AST SpaceMobile, which is building a space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, has secured S-band spectrum authorisation from Brazilian regulator Anatel, as well as regulatory approval for the secondary use of spectrum in the 700 MHz band.

In addition, the company says it signed agreements with four regional mobile network operators and unveiled plans to install ground infrastructure in the country to support connect-anywhere capabilities for the more than 200 million handset lines in Brazil.

Anatel’s authorisation covers 15+15 MHz of S-band spectrum, totalling 30 MHz, for AST SpaceMobile’s planned service in Brazil. In addition, following Anatel’s regulatory approval, agreements with four regional operators support AST SpaceMobile’s authorized secondary use of up to 10+10 MHz of spectrum in the 700MHz band within the operators’ respective licensed areas.

AST SpaceMobile says these complementary spectrum resources – 30 MHz in the S-band and up to 20 MHz in the 700MHz band – strengthen its ability to deliver space-based cellular broadband across Brazil, beyond the reach of terrestrial network to enable voice calls, broadband data and video streaming directly on standard, unmodified smartphones.

Together with AST SpaceMobile’s existing mobile network operator partners in Brazil, these regional operators will support the expansion of space-based cellular broadband coverage nationwide, reaching millions of people who remain unconnected or underconnected.

These agreements expand AST SpaceMobile’s relationships in Brazil and reinforce a global network of more than 60 mobile network operator partners serving over three billion subscribers combined. This breadth of collaboration gives AST SpaceMobile multiple routes to market, combining operators’ local reach and established customer relationships with a satellite network designed to extend their services beyond the limits of terrestrial infrastructure.

AST SpaceMobile is also planning investment in four gateways in Brazil to support the country’s ground infrastructure. These facilities will link the company’s BlueBird satellite network, the largest satellites ever deployed in low Earth orbit, with mobile operators’ networks, routing voice, video and broadband data between space and terrestrial networks. Planning is underway to support deployment and integration with participating operators.

Service availability will expand as satellite capacity and ground infrastructure are deployed and network integration progresses, subject to applicable authorisations, device compatibility and commercial arrangements.