Wireless Infrastructure Group turns up the signal with networks swoop

An Edinburgh-headquartered wireless infrastructure provider has pushed the button on a key acquisition that boosts the size of its indoor networks business by a third.

Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) recently raised £220m in long-term funding. Picture: Contributed

Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG), which recently raised £220 million in long-term funding, said it had signed an agreement with Arqiva to purchase its entire portfolio of indoor networks.

The acquisition comprises 42 networks across the UK, covering busy locations such as Canary Wharf and Luton Airport, as well as several shopping centres including Bluewater in Kent, Manchester’s Arndale and Meadowhall near Sheffield.

The deal forms part of WIG’s strategy to help building owners and mobile operators improve mobile connectivity across work-places, hotels, hospitals, retail destinations and transport hubs. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

WIG chief executive Scott Coates said: “This is an important acquisition for WIG as we step up our efforts to help mobile operators and building owners enable better indoor connectivity across the UK.

“Improving indoor mobile connectivity can increase productivity in offices, dwell time in retail and is now considered essential by hotel guests and event organisers.

“Dedicated indoor mobile infrastructure is often the only way to enable high quality indoor signal and building owners are increasingly stepping forward to help address this challenge.”

He added: “Indoor networks need to be carefully managed over their lifecycle and WIG’s experienced operations team will ensure the continued smooth operation of all of our newly acquired networks.

“Follow on investments are also important to ensure networks keep pace with changing demands and we look forward to expanding and upgrading the infrastructure in partnership with the mobile operators.”

The firm stressed that the high capacity networks can be used by all mobile operators.

David Crawford of Arqiva added: “Arqiva has made strong progress in this area over the past few years, building an attractive customer proposition. However as we focus on our core business of providing outdoor infrastructure and connectivity solutions we felt that our indoor networks activities would be better developed by another party.”

WIG, which has key operational hubs in Bellshill and Solihull, unveiled its bumper funding deal last month. The financial package involves institutional investors and Lloyds, RBS and Barclays.