A new company, Adtran Holdings, now owns 100% of US-based Adtran but only 65.43% in Munich-based Adva, and is now planning its way to become a global fibre player.
The companies’ markets are complementary after shareholders in both entities agreed on the US$1.2 billion deal. Once the merger is complete, the combination will have an annual R&D budget of $240 million, competing only with Nokia among non-Chinese vendors of fibre.
“We will be a new global player,” said a spokesman for one of the companies. The merged company will have interests in the “middle mile” of fibre as well as business access, 5G backhaul and software-based subscriber management.
But the two previously separate companies did not overlap in their product ranges. “That’s whole deal rationale,” said the official.
Because 35% of Adva’s shareholders did not accept their part of the offer, the German company will remain listed on the Frankfurt, while Adtran Holdings will adopt pre-deal Adtran’s Nasdaq listing and will have a separate Frankfurt listing.
The company count sDeutsche Telekom, Telefónica and TIM as customers. “And there are cross-selling opportunities in the US for the middle mile.”
It will also benefit from the US government’s broadband stimulus measures. “We have a phenomenal runway for the next three years.”
Adtran and Adva have a combined total of 3,500 staff, with little overlap – especially in a market with a shortage of fibre.
