Eolo becomes Swiss. The operator that was the first to launch broadband connection with FCA wireless technology has announced an agreement with Partners Group, one of the leading global investment managers, for the sale of 75% of the share capital. “On behalf of its clients – specifies the press release – Partners Group will acquire the shares held in Eolo by Searchlight Capital Partners and part of the shares held by a vehicle controlled by Luca Spada, president and founder of Eolo. The remaining 25% of the capital will continue to be held by Luca Spada".
With the new ownership structure, Eolo starts the leap forward necessary for growth and expansion, with a wider-ranging vocation. “Thanks to the collaboration with Partners Group, Eolo will be able to continue with the plan to strengthen its competitive position which envisages investments of 850 million euros by 2025 according to three main guidelines: the densification and strengthening of its coverage based on a millimeter wave band ; the development of wholesale opportunities starting from the partnership recently signed with Wind Tre and the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Tim; and the launch of a project for the creation of a platform for offering FWA connectivity at a European level” concludes the press release. The upgrading of the grid in Italy is planned.
If the official note does not specify any figure for the operation, the indiscretions gathered by the Sun 24 Hours they speak instead of 1,2 billion put on the table by Partners Group to buy 75% of Eolo, a figure that comes close to the request of the selling partners of 1,5 billion. The offer of two funds (Dws and Wren House), which go out of business, is lower.
Partners Group is a giant with 1500 employees, a $150 billion investment portfolio and headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Eolo relies on a network of over 3.400 radio repeaters and 13.000 km of fiber optic backbones through which it brings ultra-fast Internet connections (100 Mega for families and up to 1 Giga for companies) to over 600.000 customers in 6.500 Municipalities, especially in rural areas where the fixed network does not arrive or allows irrelevant speeds.
