GlobalConnect & IP-Only was created through the merger of the Danish-Norwegian company GlobalConnect and the Swedish company IP-Only in December 2019. The goal of the combined entity is to become the leading digital infrastructure provider to businesses, public institutions and consumers with comprehensive national and cross-border fiber networks and a unique position in Northern Europe.

GlobalConnect & IP-Only is well-positioned to serve the growing demand of national and international customers. The scale of the combined organization will allow strengthened innovation and investment to bring new technologies and solutions faster to the market.

In 2019, GlobalConnect & IP-Only had revenues of approximately EUR 560 million and employed more than 1,600 people across the Nordics and Northern Germany. The company connects more than 255,000 homes and serves approximately 27,000 enterprises.

Market trends and drivers

The B2B market is characterized by the digitalization megatrend, connectivity needs and increasing IT outsourcing and cloud application adoption that drives data volume growth in fixed fiber networks, mobile backhaul as well as data center usage. As a result, the growing demand for secure high-performance connectivity and data storage solutions, leads to opportunities for fiber network providers and suppliers of cloud enabling infrastructure. Additionally, growing mobile usage and increasing IP traffic demand is driving need for fiber connections to mobile sites. 

The demand for fiber connectivity in the B2C market is supported by increasing bandwidth needs of consumers, especially, due to the proliferation of high quality on-demand video, content streaming, etc. and is expected to continue to grow at a high pace supporting continued conversion to fiber technology.

Investment potential

The investment thesis is founded on solid infrastructure characteristics, based on the provision of a mission critical infrastructure to businesses and consumers and benefiting from a high share of recurring revenue in a non-cyclical underlying market. Further, GlobalConnect & IP-Only owns a unique and well-invested fiber network, and serves a market experiencing strong tailwind.

Value creation levers include further commercialization of the existing fiber network and the acceleration of fiber build-out to capture large portions of the underlying market growth both in B2B and B2C in Northern Europe. In addition, there is value creation potential in offering enhanced end-to-end connectivity solutions to strengthen the customer proposition, focusing on operational excellence and pursuing strategic add-on acquisitions.