How Seaborn Networks places long-term subsea cable bets | Q&A

Seaborn Networks CEO Larry Schwartz
15 June, 2018

Seaborn Networks stands apart from other independent cable operators for fully operating and maintaining its submarine and terrestrial telecoms infrastructure. Controlled by a management team with a long history of building subsea systems around the world, its initial project Seabras-1 was also the first in the sector to be backed by export credit agency financing. After Seabras-1 went live in September to connect New York to Sao Paulo, Connectivity Business talks to chair and CEO Larry Schwartz to learn more about how the company is positioning itself for the next wave of capacity...

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Transformation of European telecoms sector sparks opportunities for Vodafone and Liberty Global

Vodafone logo
14 June, 2018

As Vodafone awaits the fate of its proposed acquisition of Liberty Global’s European cable assets, both companies are looking to take advantage of the shifting telecoms landscape by streamlining operations, exploring bolt-on M&A and charting 5G plans. The British telecoms giant faces significant regulatory hurdles in its proposed €18.4bn (US$21.8bn) takeover of Liberty Global's operations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. While the deal is expected to eventually gain approval, industry analysts have cautioned that the...

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How spectrum is driving satellite M&A | Viewpoint

13 June, 2018

The satellite sector is awash with speculation that a wave of consolidation could follow US fleet operator EchoStar’s approach across the pond for its UK peer Inmarsat. But the takeover that Inmarsat rejected appears to mainly be about spectrum. In particular, the...

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Connectivity M&A expected to kick into overdrive as AT&T wins approval of US$84.5bn Time Warner buy

AT&T logo
12 June, 2018

A federal judge cleared the way for US telco AT&T’s blockbuster merger with Time Warner, rejecting antitrust concerns raised by the US government and setting the stage for a flurry of deal-making in the tech, media and telecoms sectors. The US$84.5bn cash-and-stock deal will create a vertically integrated TMT powerhouse, combining Time Warner and its vast trove of properties, which include cable TV unit CNN and premium pay channel HBO, with AT&T, the parent company of satellite TV broadcaster DirecTV. US District Court Judge Richard Leon issued a “sound and proper rejection” of...

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