The Sweden-based private equity firm EQT Partners has acquired the Maltese cableco and cellular operator Melita via its EQT Infrastructure division. Melita is being sold by French and Belgian private equity investors Apax Partners and Fortino. The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approvals.
Melita operates a nationwide gigabit cable network in Malta for broadband, pay-TV and fixed telephony services, as well as 2G, 3G and 4G mobile systems. It has also recently begun offering broadband services in eight cities in Italy via a partnership with local wholesale provider Open Fiber. Meanwhile, EQT’s other telecoms-related investments include Swedish fibre network operator IP-Only and the Dutch telco DeltaFiber.
Harald Rosch, CEO of Melita, said: ‘Thanks to our customers’ continued loyalty and increased trust we have positioned Melita as a telecom market leader in Malta in terms of innovation, technology and customer satisfaction. With the backing of EQT Infrastructure and their extensive experience in our industry, we will continue the journey by developing our networks and providing outstanding customer experience in the years to come. Melita is ideally positioned to grow in the Maltese telecom market and beyond.’