Key takeaways
- Aqua Comms has acquired Openbyte Infrastructure Private Limited, an India-based licensed telecom company providing neutral, open access landing solutions for submarine cables
- Amit Vyas becomes CEO, India and Regional Chief Business Development Officer; Neeraj Katiyar becomes CTO, India and Chief Global Architect for Subsea Cables
- Amit Vyas expects the international digital infrastructure in India to be greatly enhanced over the next 5 to 7 years
- Alan Harper, Chairman, says the investment in EMIC-1 makes the Indian market a cornerstone of Aqua Comms’ global expansion plans
The acquisition of India-based Openbyte is key in supporting Aqua Comms’ global connectivity expansion plans, providing a carrier-neutral platform in India for Aqua Comms services.
Aqua Comms acquires Openbyte
Aqua Comms, a leading provider of global subsea connectivity services today announced the successful acquisition of Openbyte Infrastructure Private Limited, an India-based licensed telecom company focused on providing neutral, open access landing solutions for submarine cables.
Submarine cables form the bedrock of necessary international telecommunications and data infrastructure on which much of the modern economy runs and Aqua Comms and Openbyte share a vision to make the benefits of such investments accessible to all in a neutral and cost effective manner.
New leadership for India
Key to the acquisition is the appointment of Amit Vyas as CEO, India and Regional Chief Business Development Officer for Aqua Comms. Amit will be supported by Neeraj Katiyar, CTO, India and Chief Global Architect for Subsea Cables, who will be responsible for the technical aspects of regional projects.
What the executives said
Amit Vyas commented “Openbyte was founded to provide cost effective, open access solutions to make submarine cable capacity accessible to all interested stakeholders, enhance the digital infrastructure of the country and eliminate bottlenecks. I’m absolutely delighted to join the team at Aqua Comms who share our vision. Over the next 5 to 7 years the international digital infrastructure in India will be greatly enhanced and we at Aqua Comms will be at the forefront of bringing out this change for the better.
Nigel Bayliff, CEO of Aqua Comms said “This is an important acquisition as we continue to execute our plans to expand the Aqua Comms business into new geographies and as we build out our global network. Amit & Neeraj are well recognised industry professionals and bring with them rich global experience, particularly in India, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. We welcome them to the Aqua Comms family and look forward to doing some great work together.”
Alan Harper, Chairman of Aqua Comms added “Aqua Comms’ goal is to address the needs of its customers by investing in global subsea infrastructure and this acquisition will help to establish it as a leader in providing global subsea capacity, whilst retaining the core principle of neutrality in its service offering. With our investment in EMIC-1, we are committed to the Indian market, a cornerstone of our ambitious global expansion plans. I’m excited for future developments as we continue to expand across this region and beyond.”
About Aqua Comms
Aqua Comms is a leading provider of global subsea connectivity services delivered through an extensive portfolio of owned and operated subsea systems. Aqua Comms offers connectivity networking solutions including managed capacity services, spectrum and dark fibre to the global content, cloud and carrier markets.
To learn more about Aqua Comms and its portfolio of connectivity networking solutions visit www.aquacomms.com.
About Digital 9 Infrastructure (D9)
In April 2021, Aqua Comms DAC was acquired by Digital 9 Infrastructure plc (D9), an LSE listed investment trust managed by Triple Point Investment Management LLP.
From its IPO in March 2021 and subsequent capital raises, DGI9 has raised total equity of £905 million and a revolving credit facility of £375 million, invested into data centres, subsea fibre, terrestrial fibre and wireless networks Its team has over US$ 300 billion transactional and operational experience in digital infrastructure. The number 9 in Digital 9 Infrastructure comes from the UN Sustainable Development Goal 9, which focuses the fund on investments that increase connectivity globally and improve the sustainability of digital infrastructure.
To learn more about D9 visit www. https://www.d9infrastructure.com/.
