PTI to partner with F2i to acquire TowerTel, providing ownership or leasing rights to over 2,400 wireless telecommunications sites across Italy, with potential leasing rights for over 4.000 sites

PRESS RELEASE

PTI to partner with F2i to acquire TowerTel, providing ownership or leasing rights to over 2,400 wireless telecommunications sites across Italy, with potential leasing rights for over 4.000 sites

Milan, 23 December 2020 – Phoenix Tower International ("PTI") today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with EI Towers S.p.A (“EIT”) to acquire TowerTel S.p.A. (“TowerTel”), an EIT subsidiary, which owns or leases, operates and manages approximately 2,400 telecommunications towers, distributed antenna systems and telecommunications sites across Italy. In addition, TowerTel has exclusive telecommunications marketing and leasing rights to more than 1,600 broadcast sites owned by EI Towers S.p.A, bringing the total potential portfolio to more than 4,000 sites in the country.

As part of the agreement F2i SGR (“F2i”), one of EIT’s shareholders, has elected to retain a minority ownership stake in TowerTel.  Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Completion is subject to customary regulatory approval.

"PTI is excited to enter into Italy’s vibrant wireless market and serve its premier wireless operators. We look forward to expanding the revenue on this portfolio, developing new towers and investing in next generation solutions on behalf of our customers," stated Dagan Kasavana, Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Tower International. He continued, "With small cell deployments, continued 4G and 5G buildouts, significant fixed wireless access and fiber roll-out across the country, we believe that Italy is a fantastic market for PTI.  This exciting transaction further expands our growing global footprint and allows us to continue to serve the wireless infrastructure needs of our clients".

Commenting on the transaction, Renato Ravanelli, Chief Executive Officer of F2i, said; "This investment by PTI testifies to the growing interest by global players in high-quality Italian infrastructure. We are deighted to partner with a leading wireless infrastructure operator with the support of Blackstone, in a sector so important for the overall telecommunication market development".

PTI’s financial advisor was Natixis and its legal advisor was Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.  EIT’s financial advisor was Nomura and its legal advisor was Chiomenti Studio Legale.