iBasis snaps up Telstra International assets

• International wholesale operator iBasis is acquiring certain assets from Telstra International
• The move marks a major expansion into the Asia Pacific region for iBasis

International operator iBasis, which provides wholesale voice, mobile data and internet of things (IoT) services to telcos and other digital service providers, has struck a deal to acquire Telstra International’s wholesale voice, mobile (IP exchange) and messaging customer contracts.

The deal, which is expected to close before the end of this year, involves the “transfer of high-value customer contracts and an international team of seasoned commercial and operational professionals,” noted iBasis, adding that “customer relationships will remain intact and fully supported throughout the integration process.” 

Financial details were not disclosed.

For Paris, France-based iBasis, which already claims to provide its services to more than 1,000 customers across 28 markets, the move “represents a major expansion of iBasis’s commercial scale, geographic reach, and customer portfolio across the Asia Pacific region, reinforcing its presence in Hong Kong and Singapore, and establishing its presence in Australia and New Zealand,” the company noted in this announcement.  

In addition, iBasis is to obtain exclusive rights for international wholesale voice services for Digicel Pacific (a service provider that is part of the Telstra International portfolio) covering Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Nauru.

The deal marks a “significant milestone” in the “ongoing consolidation strategy” of iBasis and its parent company Tofane Global, according to iBasis CEO Patrick George. “This transaction accelerates our growth trajectory and strengthens our unique leadership position as a global wholesale player. It validates the relevance of our model as an independent specialist in global wholesale communications, built on high-performing voice and mobile platforms, and expands our reach and presence in the APAC region.” 

Tofane Global has previously made a number of targeted M&A moves in the wholesale services and messaging platform markets, including the purchase of Dimoco Messaging in 2023, the acquisition of Simfony, an IoT platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider and mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE), in 2022, and the purchase of Altice France’s international wholesale voice operations for €21m in 2018.  

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV