Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm, is selling its ownership stake in Mobilitie, the largest privately-held wireless infrastructure firm in the nation, to global communications infrastructure provider, BAI Communications (BAI).
BAI’s acquisition of Mobilitie is a significant move towards becoming one of the leading connected infrastructure 5G players in North America, and globally. The deal combines Mobilitie’s extensive assets and operations across 5G outdoor and indoor wireless infrastructure, proven experience in small cell deployment, and work with transit operators across major US cities with BAI’s long-standing proven expertise in delivering communications infrastructure in dense urban and transit environments.
“Mobilitie has proven time and time again to have the vision and drive necessary to accelerate network development and transform wireless infrastructure to meet the evolving demands of carriers, public venues, transit systems and consumers alike,” says Steve Royer, Partner at Shamrock. “We have proudly invested in and supported the company’s success, and are now eager to see its continued expansion in this next phase of growth with BAI.”
Shamrock previously invested USD100 million in equity capital with Mobilitie to deploy and build new high-speed Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) and small cell technology infrastructure for high-traffic public venues, Wi-Fi networks, and new wireless communication tower sites across the US. Today, Mobilitie’s portfolio includes 220 venues across 39 states, 10,000 small cells across 45 states, and 300 tower sites across 14 states, as well as public transit system agreements in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Mobilitie has grown exponentially following Shamrock’s investment in 2013, providing the financial support required to scale nationally and fuel our expansion into 5G,” says Gary Jabara, Founder and Chairman at Mobilitie. “Together, we have firmly established Mobilitie’s position as the market leader in 5G wireless infrastructure, and have the foundation needed to accelerate our impact on a global scale. We’re excited for the next chapter of our growth as part of BAI Communications.”
The transaction is subject to customary regulatory clearances and is expected to close in the third quarter of this year.