Verizon, Vertical Bridge agree to $3.3B tower transaction

Verizon Communications and Vertical Bridge announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Vertical Bridge to obtain the exclusive rights to lease, operate and manage 6,339 wireless communications towers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. from subsidiaries of Verizon for approximately $3.3 billion, including certain commercial benefits. The transaction is structured as a prepaid lease with upfront proceeds of approximately $2.8 billion in cash. Under the terms, Verizon will enter into a 10-year agreement1 to lease back capacity on the towers from Vertical Bridge, serving as the anchor tenant, with options that could extend the lease term up to 50 years. Verizon will also have access to certain additional space on the towers for its future use, subject to certain restrictions. This agreement, along with Verizon’s existing build-to-suit joint venture with Vertical Bridge, will support Verizon’s efforts to drive down tower-related costs and provide greater vendor diversity in a concentrated industry. DigitalBridge, a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure and majority owner of Vertical Bridge, has committed capital to support the transaction. CDPQ, a global investment group and an important shareholder of Vertical Bridge since 2019, also committed capital to finance this transaction. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.