Düsseldorf-based metrofibre, a German company developing fibre networks to connect urban communities, announced that it has secured €120M in senior debt financing.
The investment came from a consortium comprising ING, Kommunalkredit Austria AG and SEB.
This investment will be used to enhance telecommunication infrastructure, leading to improved high-speed internet connectivity for residents and businesses in the Essen region (Germany) through metrofibre’s fibre operator, ruhrfibre.
Christopher Rautenberg, MD of metrofibre and ruhrfibre, says, “We are proud to present three highly experienced infrastructure financing partners, who support our concept and our roll-out ambitions. We welcome ING, Kommunalkredit and SEB into the ranks of our partners and look forward to a fruitful collaboration.”
Urban fibre optic networks for the digital future of Germany
Founded in 2022, metrofibre is a company that develops and operates fibre optic networks for urban areas, focusing on high-performance digital infrastructure.
The company works with local stakeholders, uses “innovative” technology for efficient and quality construction, and contributes to Germany’s digital future by creating sustainable and scalable networks for households, businesses, schools, and public institutions.
These networks are designed to support the efficient rollout of the 5G mobile communications standard by incorporating antennas and pico cells, eliminating the need for separate infrastructure construction for 5G expansion.
metrofibre believes no single company can shape Germany’s digital future on its own and hence it emphasises collaborative efforts to build the digital infrastructure. They work with partners to ensure sustainable and widespread urban fibre optic network expansion, focusing on cities and communities.
The company says, “Our clear goal for all projects is to create open and non-discriminatory access for different providers of telecommunications services. For this purpose, we build and operate unconnected fibre optic networks and thus passive infrastructures, which other telecommunications companies (so-called Internet Service Providers, ISPs) connect with their own active technology.”
“This allows various ISPs to offer their services and products over our networks with their own branding. A wide range of service providers and product portfolios is thus available to end customers. In contrast to the traditionally integrated model, we are building data highways that everyone can drive on.”
Technology and sustainability
metrofibre designs, constructs, and manages advanced fibre optic networks according to the latest standards. They employ a point-to-point architecture, allocating dedicated fibre optic pairs to households and users, ensuring long-term superiority and preventing congestion.
The company’s technology choices allow for easy bandwidth expansion to meet future demands. Redundant local networks enhance reliability by enabling data rerouting during failures, resulting in a highly dependable and efficient network.
True fibre optics is advanced in speed and reliability while being environmentally friendly compared to copper and coax technologies. It uses quartz for fibre production, requiring less energy and avoiding toxic emissions.
According to metrofibre, fibre optics consume less energy due to light-based data transmission. Partnerships with cities leverage existing infrastructure, reducing new construction and environmental impact.
Joint expansion of fibre optics by Essen and ruhrfibre
Essen-based ruhrfibre has been constructing a modern fibre optic network in collaboration with the city since spring 2023.
This network meets high technical standards, supports the 5G mobile communications standard, and signifies Essen’s progress towards becoming a “Smart City”. The expansion aims to provide essential infrastructure access for all residents and businesses in Essen, with free network connections for property owners.
metrofibre, in collaboration with the city of Essen, is connecting around 150,000 households, as well as businesses, hospitals, and public institutions to their fibre optic network. With over 1,000 km of cable laid, the company believes this initiative is a significant step toward transforming Essen into a modern “Smart City”.
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