The acquisition will add Mobilitie's portfolio of 220 venues across 39 US states; 10,000 small cells across 45 states; and 300 tower sites across 14 states to BAI's operations.
The two said the deal will allow BAI to "immediately extend and diversify its solution and service offering beyond its current global markets". By combining the operations and portfolios of the two companies, BAI is positioned to support telcos in the US, and other markets, "to realise the smart city opportunities that 5G services are offering worldwide".
Igor Leprince, group CEO of BAI Communications, said: "BAI's acquisition of Mobilitie establishes us as a leading telecommunications infrastructure provider in the United States and the most relevant provider of public transit wireless connectivity solutions in North America. This reflects our ambitions for the US as well as the other markets in which we operate globally and puts us in the perfect position to capitalise on the growing prioritisation of connected infrastructure in regions such as the UK and Europe.
"The scale and strong relationships with large venue operators and mobile network operators that Mobilitie brings fits perfectly with BAI's existing leadership in connected transit and infrastructure," Leprince continued.
Among its active projects, BAI Communications provides neutral host infrastructure in the major subways of New York, Toronto, and Hong Kong, and in Australia with one of the most extensive broadcast networks in the world. Last week it announced a contract with Transport for London for London Underground. BAI plans to expand in the UK and Europe "as it pursues, and wins, significant opportunities".
In January, BAI hired Brendan O’Reilly, from Telefónica O2 UK, to become its global CTO.
Mobilitie's portfolio includes existing agreements to provide wireless communications to the public transit systems in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Gary Jabara, founder and chairman of Mobilitie said: "We're very excited about this transaction, which augments Mobilitie's market impact worldwide. BAI's significance as a 5G player, together with Mobilitie, will enable unprecedented support of US wireless carriers. It puts us on a clear, long-term path to greatly accelerate business and help our customers, especially the mobile network operators."
"Combining BAI's connectivity solutions and international presence with Mobilitie's North American assets, including our nationwide footprint of tier one venues, public transit systems in the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, along with 10,000 small cells and thousands of New York small cells that are in and around BAI's existing assets, makes us better positioned for 5G growth than anyone else in North America," he continued.
