EQT Infrastructure and Stonepeak to acquire Dutch FTTH operator DELTA Fiber

EQT, via its EQT Infrastructure V fund, and Stonepeak say they have agreed to buy DELTA Fiber from EQT Infrastructure III for an undisclosed sum. Upon the transaction’s close, expected to occur this December, the two parties each will own 50% of the Dutch fiber to the home (FTTH) triple-play services provider.

Headquartered in Schiedam, the Netherlands, DELTA Fiber was pieced together in 2018 via a combination of DELTA and CAIW, both of whom EQT Infrastructure III acquired in February 2017 and January 2018, respectively. Currently, DELTA Fiber owns and operates approximately 50,000 km of fiber-based network infrastructure that connects approximately 900,000 households and businesses across the Netherlands. The company has plans to roll out XGS-PON, with a roadmap to 25G PON (see “DELTA Fiber plans XGS-PON deployment in the Netherlands”). EQT Infrastructure and Stonepeak say they will provide the support necessary for DELTA Fiber to reach a footprint of 2 million fiber connections by 2025, a figure that would represent a quarter of the country.

"Two leading international investors joining DELTA Fiber confirms our success in recent years,” stated Marco Visser, CEO of DELTA Fiber. “That EQT is choosing to invest in our company again, together with Stonepeak, shows confidence in our ambitious plans for the future. Together they provide us with a solid foundation for further growth."

"We are deeply impressed by DELTA Fiber's management and employees' strong performance over the past few years,” commented Matthias Fackler, partner within EQT Infrastructure's Advisory Team. “EQT Infrastructure is excited to support their continued journey of digitizing the Netherlands by providing high-quality broadband infrastructure to Dutch households and businesses. EQT Infrastructure shares this vision with Stonepeak whose vast experience in the digital infrastructure space makes them an ideal partner to support DELTA Fiber in its next phase of evolution and growth."

"Stonepeak has long recognized the mission critical nature of broadband in today's society and we look forward to working with Marco and the team to accelerate the additional rollout of DELTA Fiber's network across the Netherlands,” added Brian McMullen, senior managing director at Stonepeak. “We are delighted to partner with a like-minded peer in EQT Infrastructure on this transaction, which will accelerate DELTA Fiber's ability to connect households throughout the country with reliable broadband."

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