Axione SAS, a fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) operator in France, in-partnership with its shareholders Bouygues Energies & Services and Vauban Infrastructure Partners today announced the creation of Axione Fibre, a UK fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) operator. Specifically, Axione Fibre intends to deploy 4 million fiber passings, targeting suburban and rural areas of the UK, with an initial £300m equity commitment. However, no indication of the timing of the fiber roll-out has been disclosed thus far.
Axione Fibre – Bouygues Energies & Services and Vauban Infrastructure
Axione Fibre will design, build, and operate an open access wholesale fiber network. Therefore, Axione Fibre’s network will be available to all internet service providers (ISPs), integrators, carriers, and channel partners to offer broadband services to end users.
Customers
Axione Fibre’s fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network will serve residential, corporate, and public sector premises in small UK towns and villages.
Initial Investment
The initial £300m equity investment into Axione Fibre will be funded by Bouygues Energies & Services and Vauban Infrastructure, alongside third-party equity partners. Indeed, Axione notes that this investment represents the first phase of its project to reach 4 million UK premises.
Competitors
Axione Fibre becomes another of the UK’s 20+ alternative fiber broadband providers. Specifically, the company’s peers include CityFibre, Hyperoptic, Gigaclear, KCOM, Voneus, Community Fibre, G.Network, Trooli, and Upp Corporation.
Ownership – Axione SAS
Axione SAS’ shareholders are Bouygues Energies & Services, with a 51% ownership interest and Vauban Infrastructure Partners with a 49% stake in the company.
Bouygues Energies & Services
Bouygues Energies & Services is a division of Bouygues Group, an international company in the construction and telecommunications industries. The division deploys network infrastructure, particularly in support of the development plans of local authorities. Indeed, Bouygues Energies & Services often partners with Axione to deploy optical fiber networks in France.
Vauban Infrastructure Partners
Vauban Infrastructure Partners (formerly Mirova), a private equity firm, is an affiliate of the French corporate and investment bank Natixis. Overall, Vauban Infrastructure manages €3bn across 50+ investments through 5 core infrastructure funds.
In early 2019, Vauban acquired its 49% interest in Axione through its infrastructure funds FIDEPPP 2, BTP Impact Local, CIF I, and CIF II. To-date, Vauban’s investment in Axione has led to:
- 15 to 20 years of underlying concession contracts
- 6 million fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) passings in France
- €3bn+ of capital expenditures in digital infrastructure
