BT to sell German city networks to 1&1 Versatel
German service provider 1&1 Versatel, a subsidiary of United Internet AG, says it has reached an agreement to buy BT's four fiber-optic city networks in Germany. Terms of the deal, which covers networks in Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, and Stuttgart, were not disclosed.
The networks total 1,590 km. BT will lease access to the networks after the sale, to continue serving business customers with connection requirements in Germany. 1&1 Versatel described the transfer as part of BT's focus on providing global network, cloud, and security services for multinationals and international organizations.
Meanwhile, the sale will further 1&1’s expansion strategy. The company says it provides services in more than 300 German cities. "The investment in the four city networks is a further step on the way to becoming the leading provider of fiber optics for companies," said Dr. Sören Trebst, CEO of 1&1 Versatel.
As part of this expansion effort, 1&1 also has announced an agreement that it says will provide access to Vattenfall Eurofiber's fiber-optic network in Berlin. The latter company, a joint venture between utility Vattenfall Wärme Berlin AG and Eurofiber announced in September 2020, aspires to connect approximately 500,000 homes and businesses to its open access fiber-optic network by 2026.
“The nationwide fiber-optic expansion in Germany can only succeed if we work together. In order for companies to be able to use high bandwidths across the board, network operators must pull together - with cooperation, open access platforms, and other forms of cooperation," commented Trebst. “By using Vattenfall Eurofiber's fiber-optic network in Berlin, we not only enable a large number of customers to access fast Internet. We also avoid the superstructure of existing fiber-optic lines, which harms the common goal of driving digitization in Germany.”
For related articles, visit the Business Design Topic Center.
For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.
To stay abreast of fiber network deployments, subscribe to Lightwave’s Service Providers and Datacom/Data Center newsletters.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.