Company News, 12/2024
Important notifications from BREKO member companies from the period 8.11.-17.12.2024, in chronological order:
Michael Hegemann is the new COO of GVG Glasfaser
- Hegemann joins GVG management with immediate effect
- 55-year-old is an industry expert with special expertise in telecommunications infrastructure and network operation – GVG places special focus on successful fiber optic rollout with commitment
- GVG co-founder Jörg Knöller retires from management at the end of the year and takes on an advisory role
VDIV Germany and Tele Columbus agree on fiber optic cooperation
- Verband der Immobilienverwalter Deutschland e. V. (VDIV Deutschland) and Tele Columbus adopt position paper on fiber optic expansion
- Free full expansion and operation, four fibers per apartment and opening of the networks provide the basis for long-term cooperation
New cooperation in the fiber optic market: vitroconnect buys FTTC Bitstrom (BSA) from DNS:NET
DNS:NET and vitroconnect will work even more closely together in the future in order to serve the customer base jointly. The DNS:NET Group implements its FTTC/FTTH products for end customers and other network operators in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt on the basis of its own network infrastructure. This makes DNS:NET one of the largest German fiber optic network operators and the largest alternative fiber optic provider in Brandenburg. To enable DNS:NET to offer other network operators wholesale products based on its own network, vitroconnect provides the open access platform “CAP” (Carrier Aggregation Platform). As a process platform for bitstream connections, the IT service provider enables many other Internet service providers (ISPs) to access the DNS:NET network.
New Managing Director at NetCom BW
Change at the top of NetCom BW: Thomas Herkommer (43) was appointed Managing Director and Spokesman of the Management Board at yesterday’s Supervisory Board meeting of the EnBW Group company with effect from January 1, 2025. He succeeds Matthias Groß (55), who has resigned from his position in agreement with the shareholders of NetCom BW and is returning to a position of responsibility within the EnBW Group. The current second Managing Director Nicholas Prinz will be solely responsible for the management of NetCom BW until Thomas Herkommer takes office. The management duo at the head of the telecommunications service provider will be complete again from January 2025.
Open Access: Plusnet and Westconnect cooperate
- Plusnet as a further open access partner with fiber optic products on the network of the E.ON subsidiary Westconnect in NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate and Lower Saxony
- Agreement covers around one million marketable house connections in more than 300 cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Lower Saxony on the Westconnect network
- Customers can choose between Plusnet and E.ON Highspeed brand products
Strategic Fiber Networks GmbH on course for expansion in Lower Saxony
The telecommunications company acquires Northern Access and GIM and intends to further drive forward rural fiber optic expansion. Shortly before the end of the year, the telecommunications company Strategic Fiber Networks GmbH (SFN) announces the acquisition of 100% each of Northern Access GmbH (Northern Access) and GIM Glasfaser Infrastruktur Management GmbH (GIM), based in Liebenau, Lower Saxony. Northern Access and GIM jointly supply large parts of the district of Nienburg as well as the neighboring communities of Neustadt am Rübenberge, Gehrden, Seelze and Petershagen with broadband Internet.
TNG secures a further 175 million euros for fiber optic expansion
- Strong interest from lenders leads to oversubscription of the transaction
- NAB and an institutional investor join as lenders
- Capital package through additional funds from ICG Infra
Unsere Grüne Glasfaser takes over Infrafibre Germany and becomes one of the largest fiber optic providers in Germany
Green light from the regulatory authorities: Unsere Grüne Glasfaser (UGG) takes over Infrafibre Germany (IFG) with its group companies LEONET and Breitbandversorgung Deutschland (BBV) as well as Infrafibre Networks. UGG, the joint venture of Allianz and the Telefónica Group, will thus become one of the largest fiber optic infrastructure providers in Germany. Together with the IFG companies, 2.2 million households in mostly rural regions of Germany are to be supplied with high-performance fiber optics over the next few years.
Deutsche GigaNetz secures new investment loans for fiber optic expansion
- Previous banking consortium increases commitment volume by EUR 250 million, Deutsche GigaNetz makes full use of increase option
- Strong interest leads to oversubscription of the transaction
- SMBC Bank and Edmond de Rothschild join as new lenders
Glasfaser Nordwest secures additional debt financing
- Successful conclusion: Additional debt financing of EUR 600 million secures the further fiber optic expansion of Glasfaser Nordwest in northwest Germany.
- The infrastructure provider now has a total of 13 strong financing partners at its side.
- Andreas Mayer, Managing Director of Glasfaser Nordwest: “Securing such financing in such a challenging market environment, and with the support of additional banks, is a great success and a confirmation for our company.”
Dennis Müller becomes Chief Rollout Officer (CRO) on the management board of metrofibre
With the newly created position, metrofibre aims to further accelerate the infrastructure expansion of its urban fiber optic networks and drive expansion into even more cities. Dennis Müller brings everything to the table: extensive experience in fiber optic expansion and impressive expertise from his time at Vodafone and OXG Glasfaser.
Handover: Frank von Allwörden new tktVivax Managing Director
At the turn of the year, Dirk Fieml (59), Managing Director of the tktVivax Group for many years, will hand over responsibility for the group’s holding company to Frank von Allwörden (57), who will also take over the management of the subsidiaries Vivax Consulting and LBG. Fieml, who is gradually withdrawing from the operational business after 15 years at the helm of the company, will remain head of the Gigabit Competence Center Heilbronn-Franken until the end of 2025. At the same time, he will remain the majority shareholder of tktVivax GmbH with a 51% stake.
