Telecommunications Archives - Page 2 of 3

Dec, 2015

By Nick Flitterman

Portland advises O3b on a further $460m of financing

O3b Networks closes $460M of new financing to expand its constellation

Continuing the successful relationship with O3b Networks that started with its original financing in 2010, Portland’s Nick Flitterman and Darryck Luiz advised the company on completing its fourth financing in 6 years to fund the expansion of the constellation from 12 to 20 satellites in response to a growing customer demand.

More information on O3b and its successful start to operational life can be find on the company website here.

For further information on this transaction or in relation to satellite financing, contact Nick Flitterman on +44 20 7183 8385 or nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com

COFACE, constellation, DFI, financing, Flitterman, Luiz, O3b, satellite

Mar, 2013

By Nick Flitterman

Flitterman Chairs Panel at TMT Finance Conference

In the conference season, Nick Flitterman, Portland’s Head of Telecom’s, chaired a panel discussion amongst bankers and financing executives at TMT Finance’s annual M&A forum in London on 14th March.

With representatives from BNP Paribas, Investec, the EBRD, Digital World Capital and Houlihan Lokey, Nick guided the panel through a lively discussion of topical financing issues including the high level of liquidity in the leveraged bank market for telecom credits, the ups and downs of the high yield bond market and needs of banks as they assess credit proposals for telecom infrastructure projects.

For further information see the TMT Finance website here or contact Nick directly on +44 (0) 20 7183 8385 and at nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com

Jan, 2013

By Nick Flitterman

Portland Panelist at Telecom Finance 2013 Conference

On 30th January, demonstrating his continued thought leadership in the sector, Nick Flitterman, Portland’s Head of Telecoms, joined a distinguished panel of bankers and finance executives at Telecom Finance’s annual conference in London to discuss a number of topical issues and trends in financing telecom infrastructure projects today.

The panel debated topics such as pressure on bank margins, growing use of ECAs in the sector, the improving level of liquidity in the bank market as European banks start to re-enter the fray, and the increasing presence of Chinese banks in funding telecom projects.

For further details see the Telecom Finance website here or contact Nick directly on +44 (0) 20 7183 83 85 or at nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com

Nov, 2012

By Nick Flitterman

Portland advises on Welsh National Broadband project

In a team lead by Frauke Bialokoz, Portland Advisers has been advising the IT Procurement Team in the Welsh Government on the Next Generation Broadband for Wales (NGBW) project.

Following a competitive process BT was awarded the Next Generation Broadband project for Wales in July 2012 , subject to European State Aid approvals. Following completion (scheduled for the end of 2015), 96 per cent of businesses and homes in Wales will be able to access a fibre-based broadband service. The project will specifically target the 52% of premises in Wales for which there is currently no planned commercial roll out of broadband. It will build on commercial investment already made or planned by the private sector.

Portland Advisers acted as financial adviser to the Welsh Government’s procurement team, providing advice from the early stages with soft market testing to the procurement itself where we were involved throughout by developing evaluation criteria and methodology, providing commercial input into the documents and assisting with all financial aspects of the competitive dialogue process.

An announcement by the Welsh Government regarding the EC decision approving the UK’s National Broadband schemes from November 2012 can be found here.

For further information contact Frauke at frauke.bialokoz@portlandadvisers.com or on +44 20 7183 8386.

Jan, 2012

By Nick Flitterman

Portland Advisers demonstrates thought leadership in Next Generation Broadband

Portland Advisers has been appointed by the Fibre to the Home Council (Europe) to undertake a study into potential financing stimulus packages for Next Generation Broadband rollout on the basis of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).

The results of this study will be presented by Jacek Krauze of Portland Advisers and Stefan Stanislawski of Ventura Team, our consortium colleagues, at the FTTH Council’s headline event of the year in Munich in February.

Details of the Conference can be found by clicking here. For discounted admission to the FTTH Council Europe Conference please use the discount code MUFTTH22 to buy places at €390 plus €3 green donation (instead of the usual €490).

For further details, please contact Jacek at jacek.krauze@portlandadvisers.com or on +44 20 71 83 83 98.

broadband, Conference, Jacek, Mandate, NGB, PPP, Telecom

Nov, 2011

By Nick Flitterman

O3b Closes New $137m financing

On 31st October 2011, O3b Networks, advised by Portland Advisers and HSBC, achieved Financial Close on a $137m incremental financing round for the construction of four additional satellites that will boost both capacity and redundancy its MEO satellite constellation.

Nick Flitterman, Portland’s Head of Telecoms and lead advisor to O3b said: “This is another great achievement for O3b and a testament to the strong support of its core investors and lenders for the company’s plan to bring high speed internet connectivity to those Other Three Billion people around the world. Despite continuing difficulties in the financial markets, and increasing pressures on US Dollar liquidity, we have succeeded in structuring the financing in a way that benefits all stakeholders and enables O3b to almost double its capacity over the emerging markets – a win-win for its investors, lenders and customers.”

The additional financing comprises an US$85m Coface-backed Senior Debt Facility provided by HSBC, ING, CA-CIB and Dexia and an additional $52m of equity provided by a group of the existing shareholders and a new investor, Luxempart.

O3b’s shareholders include leading satellite operator SES, Google, the global cable operator Liberty Global, HSBC Principal Investments, the Development Bank of South Africa, Sofina and Satya Capital, with SES now the largest minority shareholder.

For more information on this transaction, or on related topics, please contact Nick directly on nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com or +44 20 71 83 83 85. Also see the Case Study describing the role Portland Advisers.

Press coverage of the financing can be find by clicking on the links below.

www.o3bnetworks.com

https://www.sys-con.com/node/2058566

Advisory, Africa, COFACE, ECA, O3b, satellite, Telecom

Mar, 2011

By Nick Flitterman

O3b Triple Award Winner

O3b Networks, the medium earth orbit satellite constellation providing fibre quality connectivity to the emerging markets, has picked up a trio of awards from the financing community on the back of the highly innovative $770m project financing it completed in November 2010.

On top of being awarded African Telecom Deal of the Year 2010 from both of the leading Project Finance journals “Project Finance Magazine” and “Project Finance International”, O3b has now also been awarded the prestigious Deal of the Year 2010 from “Trade Finance Magazine”.

Portland Advisers acted as Financial Advisor to O3b for the debt raising. For futher information on the O3b financing, please see the earlier post on our Latest News section, the Case study included on this website or contact Nick Flitterman, Portland’s Head of Telecoms at nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com

Nov, 2010

By portland2015a

O3b Networks reaches Financial Close

On 29th November 2010, O3b Networks, advised by Portland Advisers and HSBC, achieved Financial Close on a $1.2bn financing for its first 8 satellite MEO constellation which will provide low-latency, fiber-quality internet connectivity between developing markets and the global internet infrastructure.

Nick Flitterman, Portland’s Head of Telecoms and lead advisor to O3b said: “This is a tremendous day for O3b and for those Other Three Billion people its satellites will provide internet coverage for. Despite turbulent financial markets, we have succeeded in structuring a highly innovative blend of ECA-backed and DFI senior debt alongside a tranche of Mezzanine debt, ensuring the company is fully funded through to the launch of its services in 2013.”

The complex financing comprises a US$510m Coface-backed Senior Debt Facility provided by HSBC, ING, CA-CIB and Dexia; a US$115m Senior Debt Facility and a US$145m Mezzanine Facility provided by HSBC Principal Investments, DBSA, AFDB, DEG, Proparco, FMO, IFC and EAIF; and US$410m in equity financing, of which US$230m is new equity investment.

Press coverage of the financing can be find by clicking on the links below.

www.o3bnetworks.com

BBC article on O3b (29Nov10)

Infrastructure Journal Article (Feb 2011)

Sep, 2010

By portland2015a

Portland expertise on financing new projects highlighted

On 8th September, Nick Flitterman, one of Portland’s founding partners and its Head of Telecoms, participated on a conference panel at Euroconsult’s World Satellite Business Week in Paris discussing the issues and solutions surrounding raising finance for new and early stage projects in the satellite sector.

Moderated by the editor of Satellite Finance, Ed Ansell , and joined by other high profile panellists from Coface, Société Générale and O3b Networks (one of Portland’s’ clients), the discussion covered topics such as timing and method of approach to banks, consideration of financial market conditions, the importance of good preparation, and the optimal use of Export Credit in the structuring of financing solutions.

To discuss Nick’s views on this topic or others relating the satellite or telecoms sectors, contact him at nick.flitterman@portlandadvisers.com or on +44 7973 481330.

Feb, 2010

By Nick Flitterman

Portland leads thinking on financing “Broadband for All”

Continuing to demonstrate that Portland Advisers is at the forefront of financing innovation, even in these difficult economic times, Jacek Krauze, from our Telecoms team, recently had his article on Broadband Intervention published in the leading telecom sector journal, “Telecom Finance”. It can be found in the printed edition of the January 2010 issue, however we are pleased to provide it through the link below.

“Broadband Intervention: Just putting money into holes in the ground?”

(Telecom Finance, January 2010)

For further information on the article or its content, or for enquiries relating to Telecom sector projects, please contact Jacek directly at jacek.krauze@portlandadvisers.com

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