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stc Group, an engine of digital transformation in the MENA region, announces today that its ICT infrastructure subsidiary, TAWAL, has signed an agreement to acquire United Group’s telecommunications tower assets.
The agreement, valued at EUR 1.220 bn supports stc Group’s ambitious strategy to expand its international footprint in key markets with significant growth potential.
Marking TAWAL’s first step in Europe, this move represents a major milestone in its international expansion journey and stc Group’s growth ambitions which have been active growing in the ICT adjacencies including recent investments in ICT, IoT, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Fintech and digital entertainment through its subsidiaries.
Following completion of the acquisition, TAWAL will own and operate more than 4,800 sites across Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovenia (all European Union member states, two of which are already members of the Eurozone), providing the full range of passive infrastructure services ranging from ground-based towers, rooftops small cells to in-building-solutions. As part of the 20-year master services agreement with United Group, TAWAL will deploy over 2,000 additional sharable sites, while co-location relationships with other mobile network operators will be maintained and expanded, enabling stc Group to drive digital transformation through providing world-class connectivity.
Olayan Alwetaid, Chief Executive Officer, stc Group, said: “Our agreement with United Group represents an exciting new chapter for TAWAL and the wider stc Group. The agreement is a significant milestone in our ambitious growth strategy and the expansion of our international footprint. We are already leading the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s digital capabilities and this transaction reinforces our commitment to investing in best-in-class technology and infrastructure to lead the way in enabling the world to connect.”
Mohammed Alhakbani, Chief Executive Officer, TAWAL, said: “We are delighted to partner with United Group in our first investment in the European market. The partnership supports our goal to continue to provide innovative and efficient ICT infrastructure solutions to our partners and deliver the quality of services we are renowned for.”
The transaction is subject to regulatory approval from the relevant authorities in Bulgaria and Slovenia. Upon completion, TAWAL’s operations in the European market will be rebranded as “TAWAL Europe” and will serve as TAWAL’s platform for any future expansion in Europe.
TAWAL currently owns a portfolio of over 16,000 telecom towers. The company is actively supporting digital transformation plans in Saudi Arabia, expanding its reach across new cities and rural areas in the Kingdom and actively rolling out smart-city-ready technologies such as camouflage telecom towers, smart poles capable of hosting 5G and IoT applications, in-building solutions, and small cells.
Also in the news:
New study highlights a massive funding gap for a full fibre US
TIM shares slide as company receives new bids for fixed network assets
EE delivers monster upgrades to Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme
Three network upgrade projects and a new IX. … [visit site to read more]
This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Hannes Gredler, Founder and CTO at RtBrick
Earth Day 2023 is right around the corner on April 22, and it’s a great opportunity to reflect on the telecoms industry’s environmental footprint. E-waste not only affects the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) being put into the atmosphere, but studies have shown that there are even negative health effects for adults and children. The telecoms sector itself is a large contributor … [visit site to read more]
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
The 2021 American Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has a stated goal of reaching 100% of US households with fast, affordable internet service. To many this means fibre for all.
Now a new cost estimation model from next-generation fixed wireless access (ngFWA) provider, Tarana Wireless highlights that, based on a study of 132 previous projects, a fibre-only approach to ensuring all un- or underserved households are connected could cost around five-times the $42.45 billion allocated to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program (BEAD) – the broadband component of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Tarana model sets out to recognise that whilst fibre broadband maybe an ideal outcome for all, it isn’t always cost-effective or fast to deploy, nor are costs always clear, which has serious implications for states abilities to deliver on their broadband plans.
The study behind the model is based on publicly available data from 132 projects funded by state broadband offices in Alabama, California, Michigan, Nebraska, and Virginia since early 2019. The projects were selected to give a cross section of household densities and terrain conditions and challenges across the US and averaged out at $13,900 per household, which would equate to over $200 billion to connect around 16 million households identified as un-or underserved by the FCC’s current broadband re-mapping.
Tarana highlighted this study as an indication that utilising multiple technologies — beyond just fibre — is essential to delivering on the US ambitions for a Connected America, with VP of Government Affairs, Carl Guardino, commenting that “A fiber-only diet isn’t healthy for people, and it’s equally unhealthy for fulfilment of America’s aspirations to provide universal access to high-capacity, reliable home broadband.”
Nextlink Internet who specialise in connecting rural communities are one of the companies who believe fixed wireless technologies have their place. Chief Strategy Officer, Claude Aiken, who spoke on a panel Is Fiber the Future at Connected America last month said “Fiber is a fantastic tool for connecting communities, but we need an all-of-the-above approach to get affordable broadband to everyone.”
Claude shared the limelight with Kimberly McKinley of UTOPIA Fiber, Allison Ellis of Frontier Communications and Katie Espeseth of the FBA. Tarana Wireless were sponsors of the event, which returns in 2024.
A fiber network expansion and three vendor portfolio expansions: … [visit site to read more]
The latest landing of the 2Africa cable has been announced: it’s at Port Said, at the northern end of the Suez Canal, on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
The 2Africa cable had already landed at Telecom Egypt’s cable landing station in Ras Ghareb on the eastern coast of Egypt, in November 2022.
As the Data Centre Dynamics website points out, the Suez Canal is a major thoroughfare for subsea cables crossing between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Despite this, this is only the second cable landing at Port Said following Telecom Egypt’s Red2Med cable that launched last year.
However, Data Centre Dynamics adds, the Africa-1, FEA, Medusa, India-Europe-Xpress (IEX), and SeaMeWe6 cables are all due to land at Port Said over the next two years.
Announced in 2020 by a consortium that includes Meta, Telecom Egypt, China Mobile International, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, STC, Vodafone, and WIOCC, the 2Africa cable, which will circle the African continent is, at 45,000km, among the world’s largest subsea cable projects. It will connect 33 countries with 46 landing points across Africa, Europe, and Asia when it is complete.
Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) is responsible for manufacturing and deploying the 16-fibre pair, 180Tbps cable, which is due for completion in 2024. 2Africa has already landed at a number of points in Europe and Africa as well as Saudi Arabia through the Pearls extension, which will also take the cable to Mumbai in India.
Four data center moves in four geographies to catch up with: … [visit site to read more]
Four bits of technology upgrades tapping three vendors both local and international over the last few days: … [visit site to read more]
