Tilson’s Technical Due Diligence team performed an assessment of a regional dark fiber network for a client looking to invest. Tilson examined the operator’s tangible and intangible assets, reviewed technical documentation, conducted field surveys, led interviews with management representatives, and evaluated claims of market exclusivity by the network operator. Tilson’s assessment revealed nearly $1.4 million of unplanned capital would be required for the network, determined claims of exclusivity to the market were not entirely accurate, and identified key personnel to retain from the network operator as part of a potential transition.
Understanding both the financial and technical aspects of a telecommunications network prior to an investment requires a thorough assessment from experts. Investors cannot rely solely on the claims of the network operator to make sound decisions but often don’t have the knowledge in-house to do their own technical due diligence. This particular network operator’s self-assessment needed to be vetted carefully to ensure the proper investment strategy.
Our Technical Due Diligence team assessed the dark fiber network to qualify the network operator’s construction practices, quantify the network capacity, and validate the network topology. Tilson examined 110 easement and right-of-way agreements and found that most agreements lacked the claimed provisions that would exclude competition. Despite the inaccurate claim from the network operator, Tilson did find that the volume of these easements would require significant effort from competitors to gain access to these same routes.
Further, our team analyzed multiple sources of data and documentation to quantify fiber strand counts and conduit capacity across the entire network. This analysis revealed segments of both fiber and conduit that were at or near capacity and could require as much as $1.4 million of previously unexpected capital to resolve.
Finally, although not part of the defined scope of the project, our team revealed key members of the network operator’s management team to include as part of a retention plan and knowledge transfer process for a more effective transition. In the end, our assessment ensured the investor had all the right information and tools to make the most informed and strategic decision for their dark fiber network investment.
Tilson’s Technical Due Diligence team is uniquely positioned to provide investors with unparalleled insight because our experts come from the telecom industry and have worked firsthand in engineering, network development, broadband, and wireless.
Learn how Tilson’s Technical Due Diligence team can help your company – schedule a consultation with one of our experts.
Dark Fiber Investor