TowerCo, a portfolio company of Tailwind Partners, has agreed to acquire approximately 3,300 wireless communication towers from Sprint Nextel for $670 million in cash. The two companies have also entered into a long-term leasing agreement whereby TowerCo will provide Sprint with towers to support its CDMA, iDEN and WiMAX networks. Equity for the acquisition is being provided by Tailwind, Soros Strategic Partners, Stone Tower Equity Partners and Vulcan Capital.
PRESS RELEASE
Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S – News) today announced an agreement to sell approximately 3,300 towers to TowerCo for approximately $670 million in cash. Additionally, the two companies have entered into a long term leasing agreement where TowerCo will provide Sprint Nextel with wireless communications towers to support the company's CDMA, iDEN and WiMAX networks.
“By leasing rather than owning these network facilities, we can better focus on our core business of providing communications services to consumers, businesses and government customers,” said Bob Azzi, senior vice president, Field Engineering and Operations, Sprint Nextel. “Significantly, this transaction provides Sprint Nextel with additional liquidity which gives us greater flexibility in managing our company.”
“These are great towers concentrated in large metropolitan markets throughout the
The specific number of towers and final purchase price will be determined at closing. The transaction, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in 90 days.
Equity financing for this transaction will be provided by Tailwind Capital, Soros Strategic Partners II LP, Stone Tower Equity Partners and Vulcan Capital.
In this transaction, Sprint Nextel was advised by Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, Citi and the law firm of Jones Day. TowerCo was advised by UBS Investment Bank and the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison LLP.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving nearly 53 million customers at the end of the first quarter 2008; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
TowerCo was founded in 2004 by Tailwind Capital and industry veterans Richard Byrne, Chief Executive Officer, and Scot Lloyd, Chief Operating Officer, to meet the infrastructure needs of wireless service providers by developing, owning and leasing communication towers. Soros Strategic Partners invested in TowerCo in December 2005. Currently TowerCo has exclusive contracts to build towers directly for carriers throughout the U.S. TowerCo is based in
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