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Telecoms

We work with Telecoms organisations in all stages of growth, from early-stage start-ups to global operators

As our lives are becoming increasingly connected and digitised, the role of telecoms companies and investors in enabling this change is pivotal. While this change presents these companies with significant opportunities, it also presents them with challenges and competition in the supply of digital services is fierce. Our lawyers operate at the forefront of this challenging environment applying their unparalleled expertise in the communications and digital infrastructure space, all underpinned by a deep understanding of technology. We are experienced in providing integrated advice globally across all disciplines to communications, satellite and internet companies and their infrastructure and finance providers and investors, as well as to governments and regulators.

Recently, the increasing interest in digital infrastructure as an asset class has led to an explosion of transactions. Telecoms companies are looking to monetise capital intensive and non-differentiating assets such as towers and fibre, while new entrants are leveraging digitisation and the exponential growth in demand for high speed data services by investing in data centres and connectivity solutions such as 5G equipment, subsea cable and satellite transmission.

We help our clients maximise their opportunities in this fast evolving environment by offering telecoms lawyers that not only have a deep understanding of telecoms, but also understand technology, data and commercial arrangements. This depth and breadth of expertise means that we can provide a seamless, holistic advice geared to client foreseeable needs as well as their current projects. Our telecoms sector team is experienced in advising on all areas relevant to participants in the telecoms sector, including on M&A, large scale commercial transactions such as sale and leaseback and outsourcing, competition law, telecoms regulation, finance, tax and litigation.

Our global team is not constrained by location. We have a history of helping to build and transform telecoms companies – and industries – across all continents. We can support you anywhere in the world to deliver advice on anything from next generation networks and satellite launch services, to smart cities, data analytics and commercialisation, to new digital products and more.

We provide the legal assurance so that our clients can be confident in the commercial decisions they take

Our experience includes advising:

Vodafone

on its €16.2bn strategic partnership with GIP and KKR for Vantage Towers, the £18bn spin-off of its pan-European mast business to form Vantage Towers and subsequent €2.3bn Vantage Towers IPO, the creation of Vantage Towers Greece, and the €7bn fibre joint venture with Altice Group in Germany and associated €4.6bn financing.

CK Hutchison

on the merger of Three UK and Vodafone UK, the €10bn sale of its pan-European portfolio of mobile towers to Cellnex, the carve-out of Wind Tre’s mobile and fixed telecoms network into €3.4bn joint venture with EQT, the proposed acquisition by Three UK of O2 and the acquisition of UK Broadband.

True Corporation

on its US$22.6bn merger with Telenor’s subsidiary DTAC to create a new telecom-tech company.

Orange

on the €1.8bn acquisition by Orange Belgium of 75% of the share capital of VOO and on the public takeover offer by its mother company Orange S.A., and on the €605m fibre joint venture of Orange Polska with APG and associated PLN 3.15bn financing.

Proximus

on the €1.2bn acquisition of a majority stake in Route Mobile, the aborted ‘de-SPAC’ transaction of TeleSign and the buy-out of BICS minority stakes.

Zain

on the c.US$1bn sale and leaseback of its entire portfolio of telecoms towers in Saudi Arabia to a consortium led by a Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

MTN

on various pan African propositions, such as its joint venture with Facebook and a number of other telecoms operators in the context of the roll-out of the 2Africa subsea fibre network and its roll-out of Android devices to its African markets.

Arqiva

on the £2bn sale of its telecoms division to Cellnex, associated infrastructure sharing, development and services agreements, on all of its ongoing financing advice including in relation to its whole business securitisation and “holdco” level funding, ratings and consents.

Sumitomo

on its joint venture with Vodafone, Safaricom, Vodacom and CDC to own and operate Safaricom Ethiopia (a new greenfield telecom company) and associated financing, and its collaboration with KDDI to develop a new mobile network in Myanmar.

Helios Towers

on the financing and listing rules aspects of its US$575m acquisition of passive tower infrastructure assets from Omantel and on its LSE initial public offering and various financings.
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