Ashurst advises Basalt Infrastructure Partners on merger of FullFibre and Zzoomm
28 January 2025
Global law firm Ashurst has advised Basalt Infrastructure Partners on the merger of FullFibre and Zzoomm, two fibre network providers operating in the UK.
FullFibre is a UK-based wholesale FTTP operator with 400,000 ready for services premises, active in 81 market towns and urban communities in England - including through its internet services provider BeFibre - while Zzoomm provides FTTP services across 29 market towns and urban communities in England, with more than 200,000 ready for service properties.
The merger of FullFibre and Zzoomm will help to consolidate the combined business in an increasingly competitive sector, enlarging its presence in the UK fibre market with one of the largest full fibre footprints in the market – with more than 600,000 properties ready for service and over 65,000 customers.
Ashurst previously advised Basalt on its original acquisition of a majority stake in Full Fibre in 2020, its acquisition of Digital Infrastructure in 2021, and the subsequent merger of the FullFibre and Digital Infrastructure businesses in 2023.
The Ashurst team was led by corporate partner Dallan Pitman, and assisted by corporate associates Jade MacDonald, Florence Fry, Rosie Swanborough, Ellie Wilson, Victoria Padley and Emilia Howard. Tax advice was provided by partner Nicholas Gardner and associates Luis de Freitas and Christopher Phillips, and partner Duncan Liddell, competition economist Jack Haile, and associates Olivia Spong and Philippa Stacey advised on competition matters. Luxembourg law advice was provided by partner Jean-Philippe Smeets and senior associate Fabio Vittore. Global markets partner Helen Jones and associate Emma Bridger and litigation partner Tom Cummins also advised.
