Mid-market investor Tiger Infrastructure Partners has invested £75m (€86m) in rural UK broadband provider Rural Broadband Solutions Holdings (RBBS). 

RBBS is a provider of broadband services to residential and business customers in rural areas of the UK. The company initially provided broadband through fixed wireless access technology in Shropshire and has started deploying full fibre broadband since the establishment of the UK government’s Project Gigabit scheme, which subsidises broadband roll-out in rural areas.

Emil W Henry Jr, CEO of Tiger Infrastructure, said: “RBBS, with its track record of operating a high-quality fixed wireless access network and deploying full fibre in challenging areas, represents an ideal partner for Tiger Infrastructure to enter a sector experiencing strong tailwinds.

“We have the opportunity to invest alongside the UK government to meet the needs of rural households and small businesses that, despite strong growth in data consumption, remain served by significantly slower and less reliable copper lines or fibre-to-the-cabinet.

“Having followed the UK fibre sector for many years, we were impressed by the quality and investment discipline of RBBS’ management team, and look forward to partnering with them to deliver best-in-class infrastructure and service to rural communities.”

Christopher New, CEO of RBBS, said: “We were seeking a financial partner who shared our vision to deploy full fibre to our communities. We believe Tiger Infrastructure is a like-minded investor whose expertise and capital will assist us in making RBBS a leader in our niche.

“With Tiger Infrastructure’s investment, RBBS is well-positioned to help communities in Shropshire and Wales solve the immediate and growing requirement for reliable, gigabit-capable connectivity.”

RBBS’ vision is to create a network initially covering approximately 100,000 remote premises in small towns in Shropshire and Wales where full fibre connectivity is currently unavailable.

To read the latest edition of the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here.

Topics