BT has agreed to sell its Irish wholesale and enterprise business to Speed Fibre Group in a transaction valued at €22 million. The deal, subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to complete in 2025 and marks a notable shift in Ireland’s telecommunications landscape.
The sale covers BT Communications Ireland Ltd (BTCIL), including its domestic network infrastructure, a customer base of more than 400 businesses, and the teams that support its wholesale and enterprise operations. Certain parts of BTCIL’s portfolio are excluded from the transaction, including multinational and large Irish organisation clients, the Emergency Call Answering Service, and a recently divested data centre business.
Under the agreement, BT and Speed Fibre Group will establish a long-term commercial partnership to source connectivity for each other’s customers. This arrangement is intended to maintain collaboration and ensure continuity of service across the two organisations.
A strengthening of Speed Fibre Group’s market position
Speed Fibre Group, which operates Irish providers Enet and Magnet+, is backed by Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited, an investor focused on digital infrastructure. Acquiring BTCIL will expand Speed Fibre Group’s presence in Ireland and reinforce its position as a leading provider of telecom infrastructure and wholesale B2B services.
“This acquisition enables us to deliver even greater value to our customers by expanding our range of connectivity solutions,” said Peter McCarthy, CEO of Speed Fibre Group. He added that the move is a positive development for the Irish market and will provide the scale and capabilities needed to serve a growing customer base.
Steve Marshall, Chairman of Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Limited, noted that the transaction represents an important addition to the company’s Irish platform and a strategic step toward building scale in key geographies. He said BTCIL’s capabilities will complement Speed Fibre Group’s existing operations and enhance support for Ireland’s connectivity needs.
Ireland move part of a broader international transformation for BT
The sale forms part of BT’s wider transformation of its international business, as the company focuses on core strengths—particularly delivering secure multi-cloud connectivity to multinational customers and large enterprises worldwide. The move is intended to sharpen BT’s focus on global enterprise connectivity while relying on partners for national wholesale and managed services in specific markets.
Bas Burger, CEO of BT’s Business division, said the transaction is a key milestone in concentrating BT’s international operations on their principal strengths. He expressed confidence that Speed Fibre Group will continue delivering high-quality service to customers as BTCIL transitions into its ownership.
Although BTCIL’s wholesale and enterprise operations are being sold, BT will maintain a strong presence in Ireland. The company will retain more than 400 employees and continue to operate regional offices in Dublin and beyond, keeping its links to a global network infrastructure.
This restructuring enables BT to concentrate on serving multinationals and larger organisations, while Speed Fibre Group becomes BT’s wholesale network and national services partner in Ireland. Shay Walsh, Managing Director of BT Ireland, said that changes made over the past eighteen months position BT’s various business units for future growth and that the combined strengths of both entities should unlock new opportunities and drive long-term innovation.
Speed Fibre Group’s integration of BTCIL’s infrastructure and customer base is expected to broaden the range and improve the quality of connectivity services available to Irish businesses. Meanwhile, BT’s renewed strategic focus on multinational customers aims to keep the company relevant in key global markets.
While the deal remains subject to regulatory approval, executives on both sides expressed optimism about the benefits for customers and the wider telecommunications industry in Ireland.
(Image credit: BT)
