DNA expands presence with Tampere acquisition

Finnish service provider DNA has acquired the fibre network infrastructure owned by Tampere region company ICT Elmo Oy – formerly known as Tampereen Pukhelin – as well as Elmo’s consumer and housing company business.

The move makes DNA a major broadband and TV operator in the Tampere region for the first time. Tampere is the biggest Finnish city outside of the Greater Helsinki area, with a population of about 2.35 million and a population in the wider urban area of 3.34 million.

DNA is acquiring the Elmo business from owners ICT Elmo Oy,  Pohjois-Hämeen Puhelin Oy and Ikaalisten-Parkanon Puhelin Oy.

As well as Elmo’s consumer and housing company business, DNA is taking over Elmo’s fibre-optic network infrastructure, which it says will help to enable the introduction of 5G in the Tampere region.

Mikko Kannisto, DNA’s Director, transmission networks, said the acquisition would give the company an extensive network in Tampere over which it could begin providing services on a large scale straight away.

Elmo’s CEO Janne Aaltonensaid that the deal would enable the company fto ffocuse on its ambition to become a major player in the ICT business, and added that DNA would continue to be a strategic network and mobile services partnerfor the company.

“We are extremely happy with the acquisition. Tampere is the second biggest market area in Finland, and it is important for us to have a strong presence and be able to offer our full range of services here. We intend to invest heavily in making both 5G and our fibre-optic and cable networks available to housing companies and single-family houses across the region. Thanks to this acquisition, we will be able to provide our customers with gigabit-speed broadband and a wide range of television services,” said Jarno Haikonen, DNA’s vice-president, broadband and TV business.