O3b Networks Announces the closing of $460M in Financing to Expand its Constellation and Support Unprecedented Customer Growth
O3b Networks today announced that it has closed $460 million in incremental financing to support the company’s extraordinary growth. The funds from this financing round will be used to expand the total number of satellites in O3b’s constellation from twelve to twenty, a much needed increase to accommodate the growing demand for high throughput, high performance connectivity.
O3b began full commercial operations in September 2014 and has since become the fastest growing satellite operator in history. Today, O3b supports connectivity for more than 40 customers worldwide, with more than 50% of those customers having already upgraded their service commitments to O3b during the first year of commercial operation.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for O3b and its customers. Our constellation is highly scalable and can be grown in direct response to market demand. In only a little over a year from our full commercial launch, we can already see the need for substantially more capacity in orbit to serve our customers. We are the No.1 operator in the Pacific and, together with Royal Caribbean, we have revolutionized the cruise connectivity market. Our Telco customers are expanding their service offerings and growing their markets on the back of O3b’s performance and capability” said Steve Collar, CEO of O3b Networks.
“With our Energy and Government businesses set to grow during 2016, these additional satellites will ensure that we have enough capacity to service the demand and to provide the very best combination of performance and value in the market. Our ability to attract close to half a billion dollars of incremental investment so soon after commercial launch demonstrates tremendous confidence in O3b’s business and reflects the success that we have already achieved.”
About O3b Networks Limited
O3b Networks Limited is a global satellite service provider operating a next-generation satellite network for telecommunications operators, Internet service providers, enterprise and government customers in emerging markets. The O3b system combines the global reach of satellite with the speed of a fiber?optic network providing billions of consumers and businesses in nearly 180 countries with low?cost, high?speed, low latency Internet and mobile connectivity. O3b Networks’ investors include SES, Google, Liberty Global, HSBC Principal Investments, Northbridge Venture Partners, Allen & Company, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Sofina, Satya Capital and Luxempart. O3b Networks is headquartered in St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands.
For further information please contact:
Jason Wauer
O3b Networks
Email: pr@o3bnetworks.com
