CETel Acquires Cobbett Hill Earth Station Limited

Cologne, Germany, June 25, 2019 — CETel, a leading global satellite communications and network service provider, has acquired UK-based Cobbett Hill Earth Station Limited in terms of an asset purchase transaction for an undisclosed amount.

This acquisition is seen as milestone in CETel’s growth and diversification strategy alongside its continuing customer base expansion. The acquisition further strengthens CETel’s position as a leading global end-to-end communications solutions provider. Alongside CETel’s strong presence in the mining, energy and oil & gas markets, this acquisition will now significantly increase CETel’s presence and activities in the marine and broadcast markets.

Cobbett Hill offers an extensive range of satellite communication services to both marine and terrestrial clients in the corporate, media, oil & gas, NGO, military and government sectors. Core service provisions include, but are not limited to Internet, voice, data, broadcast, DTH, enterprise, TV & radio, iDirect, SCPC, network design, network management, co-location, data centre, occasional use and bandwidth.

Cobbett Hill is located only 25 miles from central London in the UK, and occupies a seven-acre secure compound on 200 acres of land. Currently, it houses more than 25 antennas with active operations on 13 satellites plus spare capacity enabling quick turnaround times on even short-notice customer requirements. Due to the locations historical use by the British Ministry of Defence it has blanket planning permission for unlimited antenna installations within the 200 acres and operate within an RF exclusion zone preventing any local interference.

CETel CEO Guido Neumann said he is extremely happy to complete this transaction that ideally fits into the company's growth strategy. "CETel has grown significantly over the past years. Their data services, especially in the maritime sector present a perfect opportunity to grow this vertical with us. In addition, and with the existing services and experiences at Cobbett Hill, we are now entering the broadcast market, where together we see excellent opportunities to develop this business further. CETel’s existing and prospective customer and partner base will ultimately benefit from this acquisition technically and commercially,” he said.

Paul O’Brien, managing director of Cobbett Hill, said they found CETel to be the perfect fit in a buyer for their teleport and satellite-based operations. "Their long-term expertise in the market will assure that the implementation will run smooth and the two companies with both its professional and experienced teams will merge and grow into an even greater company,” he added.

Cobbett Hill presents the sixth merger and acquisition activity led by CETel over the last years.

CETel is a leading independent German provider of global satellite, fiber and wireless enabled communications solutions. CETel offers fixed and mobile satellite services to various vertical markets. Customers take advantage of fully managed services designed to individual requirements, operated from CETel’s teleport near Cologne. Strategic partnerships with leading satellite operators and equipment manufacturers allow for tailored solutions in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

CETel received the Service Provider of the Year Award by VSAT Global in 2017 and is Tier 3 fully certified by the World Teleport Association since 2018.