The alternative operator has just announced that it has raised more than €500 million in equity and junior debt from a pension fund to ensure the deployment of a fibre optic network and the recovery of Kosc.

Subject to approval by the regulatory and competition authorities, these two transactions are expected to be finalised in the fourth quarter of 2020. "These two transactions demonstrate our ambition in the fibre market in France and beyond. In a context of sector consolidation, these investments will enable us to pursue our growth strategy with the aim of strengthening our position as the leading independent operator", said David Elfassy, President of Altitude Infrastructures.

The takeover of Kosc should now enable Altitude Infrastructure to develop its addressable customer base in very dense and moderately dense areas, where the bulk of the Wholesale-only operator's business is located, which claims around ten million eligible outlets in these areas.

The alternative infrastructure operator is also planning a massive investment of 100 million euros over five years in Kosc. With this new fund raising, this welcome injection of capital now has all the green lights. As a reminder, the plan proposed by Altitude Infrastructure would enable Kosc to aim for a return to a positive Ebitda and a turnover of between 80 and 100 million euros in 2022.

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Source : ZDNet

Ielo, which specialises in fibre networks for the wholesale market for corporate operators, has announced that it has raised funds to invest 160 million euros over five years in order to become the number three player in this market.

Although the amount of the fund-raising has not been specified, it is accompanied by the entry of a new shareholder into the group's capital: DIF Capital Partners, a European infrastructure fund.

The chairman and co-founder of Ielo, Arthur Fernandez, told AFP: "We are already going to commit 90 million euros over the next two years in order to develop our network. We are now present in all 30 metropolitan areas, and our aim is to extend our network to all prefectures within the next five years."

The objective is to become the third largest player in the wholesale market for business operators, behind the two giants Orange and SFR. "It is a highly fragmented market behind the two main players, with players that do not only wholesale. Our aim is to meet an expectation in this market, by emphasizing our neutrality and total control of our infrastructures, with our own tools. We will not compete with our customers", added Mr. Fernandez.

With 90 employees and a turnover of 13.5 million euros in 2019, the operator expects to remain on a strong growth dynamic for the current year despite the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Source : Le Figaro

Created in October 2011 to promote the collection, distribution and use of cartographic data under free licenses, the OpenStreetMap France association has just completed its second successful donation campaign. Indeed, it has just announced that it has collected €10,081 from 106 donors.

OSM France states on its blog that this call for donations was "aimed at upgrading and extending the association's technical resources. To indicate the expected improvements in community services, our technical team had quantified 3 levels (set at 4,000, 5,000 and 6,500 euros). You were 106 people to give to exceed all levels and reach a collection of 10,081 euros. [...]
A first server is being upgraded. Work will continue in the coming months. We have already improved the service of quality analyses performed by Osmose. Now we can reach a daily rhythm all over the world.
On the occasion of this call for (financial) donations, some interlocutors also proposed new material resources. Finally, and most importantly, new volunteers have emerged to strengthen the technical team".

This campaign, launched in mid-November, will therefore make it possible to rejuvenate and strengthen servers that are highly solicited and that "age quickly and threaten to give up on us".

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Source : ZDNet