BY INDUSTRY
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
OPERATORS

BY INDUSTRY
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
OPERATORS

About Cellnex

Cellnex Global

_Sites

c.138,000

Sites including forecast roll-outs up to 2030

_Cellnex Global

Countries where we operate

_People

2,800

Professionals of 55 different nationalities

_Coverage

250 millions

People throughout Europe who enjoy telephone, data, radio and TV services through our infrastructures

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Our purpose

Communication has always been a key driver of human progress. At Cellnex, together with our customers, we are committed to offering endless opportunities to bring the world closer through connectivity. Our values guide our path.

more our purpose

Our commitment

Our business model focuses on the neutral and shared management of telecommunications infrastructures, strengthening our commitment to sustainability. We integrate Environmental, Social and Governance factors into our strategy, measuring and managing our impact on society and the environment in an efficient and responsible way.

more about our commitment

Main Milestones

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

Next chapter, a strengthened commitment

2023 has been a year of transformation for the company. The Board appointed Anne Bouverot as Chairperson in March and Marco Patuano was appointed as the new CEO at the June Shareholders’ Meeting. Since then, Cellnex has driven the execution of the “Next Chapter” initiated at the end of 2022, with a new organisational model, giving more responsibility to the countries and making some selective divestments.

Noteworthy was the agreement with Stonepeak for the sale of a 49% stake in Cellnex Sweden and Cellnex Denmark; and the agreement with Blodyn Networks for the sale of Edzcom, the Group’s private networks business unit. As well as the sale in France of 2,353 sites to Phoenix Tower International (PTI) and to the joint venture of PTI and Bouygues Telecom in accordance with the conditions (“remedies”) set by the French Competition Authority (FCA) following the acquisition of Hivory in 2021.

The company has set its priorities on organic growth –prioritising the core business and the main markets in which the Group operates– as well as prudent capital allocation focused mainly on debt reduction, industrial growth opportunities and a significant improvement in shareholder remuneration.

In 2023, the company also achieved the milestone of joining the selective DJSI Europe index thanks to its ESG performance.

Consolidating acquisitions, boosting organic growth and focusing on the balance sheet

The Company strengthens its position as a European leader with more than 135,000 sites in 12 countries and is committed to organic growth through tower-adjacent assets.

During the year, the agreement with CK Hutchison in the United Kingdom was closed, the last of the set of operations announced in November 2020 in six European countries that have involved a global investment of 10,000 million euros. Service contracts were also extended with Telefónica and RTVE in Spain, with NOS and Digi in Portugal and with BT in the UK.

The company continues to make progress in fulfilling its ESG commitments. Particularly in terms of innovation in the use of energy from renewable sources in its facilities.

In the context of a more complex macroeconomic environment –marked by rising inflation, interest rates and energy costs, among others– the company assumes the commitment to obtain Investment Grade (IG) by S&P and focuses on cash generation and debt reduction.

Committed to sustainability

The Company is more than ever focus on the objectives related with the environment, social responsibility and governance. It set up the Cellnex Foundation to boost connectivity as a universal right and reduce the digital, social and territorial divide, especially among the most vulnerable individuals and groups.

Cellnex concluded acquisitions in France (Hivory), Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Italy and Sweden (CK Hutchison), Poland (Play and Polkomtel Infrastructure) and the Netherlands (DT sites) through which it has incorporated a total of 46,600 sites to its portfolio of infrastructures in Europe and Build to Suit (BTS) programs covering more than 13,000 new sites in these countries up to 2030. The overall investment associated with these operations was over €18.8 billion.

International expansion in the year of communications

In a year when telecommunications services come to the fore due to COVID-19 restrictions, the company continues to diversify internationally with expansion operations in five new markets, increasing from seven to twelve. It signs agreements with CK Hutchinson in six European countries and the operator Play in Poland and buys Omtel and NOS Towering in Portugal. It also completes the purchase of Arqiva’s telecommunications division in the United Kingdom and expands its relationship with Bouygues Telecom through an agreement to roll out and operate a 5G fibre-optic network in France.

Investors back the strategy with a €4 billion rights issue for which demand was 46 times higher than supply.

The Board approves “Cellnex’s COVID-19 Relief Initiative”, a €10 million international aid fund for the pandemic.

After closing its 2016-2020 CSR Master Plan cycle with over 90 percent of the strategic goals achieved, the company launches its 2021-2025 Sustainability Master Plan focusing on ESG (Environment, Social & Governance) criteria.

A leap in terms of quality and quantity

Inorganic operations deliver growth with entry into new markets such as Ireland, while the group consolidates its position in key markets (buying the telecommunications division of Arqiva in the UK, acquiring 1 500 sites in Spain from Orange and signing an agreement with Iliad – in France and Italy – and with Salt in Switzerland to add 10 700 sites and roll out 4 000 more).

Investors give their support to the project again by subscribing to two rights issues of 3.7 billion that mobilise over €7 billion in investment commitments. The company surpasses €1 billion in revenue.

5G ecosystem rollout

In a year when the shareholding pattern is restructured following divestment by Abertis and the entry of ConnecT as a reference shareholder with 29.9% of the capital, the group positions itself to roll out the 5G ecosystem with the purchase of the Catalan fibre-optic network operator XOC and a comprehensive agreement with Bouygues Telecom in France for the acquisition and deployment of edge computing centres.

Consolidation, innovation and growth

With a committed investment of €1.2 billion, 2017 is a year marked by diversification of the business into lines of activity and markets, with greater weight given to infrastructure services, comprising 60% of revenue, and an expansion of the customer base and sites.

The company enters Switzerland with the purchase of Swiss Towers AG, which operates 2 239 telecommunications towers and sites in the country, and expands its presence in France through the acquisition and/or construction of 4 600 additional sites for Bouygues Telecom.

The company positions itself for the launch of 5G with the purchase of ALTICOM in the Netherlands.

Aligning expectations and results

The diversification of territories and customers continues with the company entering: the Netherlands (following the purchase of Protelindo and Shere Group’s telecommunications sites); France (with the first major agreement with Bouygues Telecom) and the United Kingdom (acquisition of Shere Group).

Results exceed targets thanks to solid organic growth and an improvement in the risk profile. The company enters the IBEX 35 stock market index.

Operations such as the purchase of the Italian firm CommsCon, specialising in DAS & Small Cells, demonstrate the company’s commitment to innovation and solutions for future network densification.

Launch of a transformative project: Cellnex Telecom is born

Abertis Telecom buys 7 377 mobile towers and sites in Italy and becomes Europe’s leading independent telecommunications infrastructure operator shortly before it goes public on 7 May under the name Cellnex Telecom (CLNX) with the slogan “driving telecom connectivity”.

The market values the company at €3.243 billion. Five months after its debut, it enters the STOXX Europe index which represents the 600 largest companies in Europe.

First foothold in Italy

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) acquires TowerCo, a telecommunications operator that manages mobile towers located throughout the Italian motorway network.

It rolls out the first Internet of Things network in Spain, thereby positioning itself as a key player in the creation of an IoT ecosystem.

More sites

Pursuing the strategy of positioning itself in the telecommunications infrastructure sector, the company acquires 1 975 towers in Spain from the mobile operators Telefónica and Yoigo.

First towers

The company acquires 1 000 telecommunication towers from Telefónica in Spain and begins to lay the foundations for its future position as the key neutral operator in the development of new generation networks.

Smart Cities

Within the framework of the DTT expansion process, 3 Spanish MUXs start up, making a total of nine in operation.

The “Smart City Strategic Plan” is presented in collaboration with Sant Cugat and Lleida municipal councils, comprising the first step by Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) towards developing products and services that contribute to the creation of smart cities.

Digital transition

In April, DTT coverage of 98% is achieved in Spain, completing the digital transition process, during which Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) took on the task of digitalising its entire network of centres in record time.

Analogue switch-off

Stage I of the analogue shutdown is implemented, in accordance with the National DTT Transition Plan in Spain. Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) switches off analogue broadcasting at the centres listed in 18 Technical Plans, giving way to digital broadcasting from over 280 centres on its network.

Maritime rescue by radio

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) continues to engage in business associated with mobile radio communications and is awarded the contract to provide the COMDES network for the Regional Government of Valencia (Generalitat Valenciana) and the “Maritime Distress and Safety System for the Safety of Life at Sea” for Maritime Rescue.

The first steps are taken towards the analogue switch-off for television in Spain.

Advanced DTT

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) concludes the acquisition of 32% of the satellite operator Eutelsat and begins to develop Advanced DTT through the TDT.COM and TDT 2.0 projects.

DTT operator

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) is awarded the contract to become the DTT signal operator for Spanish broadcasters with national coverage and a proposed total of over 20 channels and it acts as the official network provider at 3GSM World Congress.

Television coverage

The journey to DTT officially begins. Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) has the only network in the whole of Spain that offers coverage to 80% of the population. It performs the first DTT tests on mobile phones, with technical pilot trials in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza and Gijón.

Abertis Telecom

Work is undertaken to harmonise Retevisión and Tradia to ensure the profitability and smooth running of Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom).

Acquisition of Retevisión

After completing the split from Auna, Retevisión’s audiovisual business becomes part of Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom), giving the group a stronger presence in Spanish telecommunications.

The first DTT

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) is awarded the contract to develop and roll out DTT in La Rioja, Spain.

Private security networks

Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) boosts its position in the radiocommunications sector for law enforcement and emergency agencies through the TETRA and Àgora networks.

Beginnings

Acesa Telecom (subsequently Abertis Telecom) acquires 52% of the shares in Tradia. Abertis Telecom (now Cellnex Telecom) begins its journey in the audiovisual and mobile radio communications sector for law enforcement and emergency bodies, giving rise to the company that would later become the leader in telecommunications infrastructure management in Spain.

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