European data centre operator Interoute has agreed to buy managed services provider Easynet. The takeover gives Easynet an enterprise value of GBP 402 million; no further financial details were released. Interoute said the takeover will allow it to offer its enterprise, government and service provider customers a full range of services, as well add new skills and growth prospects for the group. The takeover will increase its annual sales to over EUR 700 million, based on pro forma figures for the 12 months to June.
The takeover follows the investment of private equity funds in Interoute earlier this year, aimed at expanding the company's presence in key markets such as the UK and US. Easynet is based in the UK and offers a range of unified communications, hosting, colocation, connectivity, security and voice services. It was acquired by the UK-based public sector services specialist MDNX, backed by private equity fund Equistone Partners, in late 2013. Based in London, Interoute operates over 67,000 km of lit fibre, 12 data centres and 31 collocation centres across Europe, with connections to 195 additional third-party data centres.
