Technology company acquires specialist to ramp up operations

Technology company Telent has announced its acquisition of specialist technology services Harlequin Group.

The deal will mean an expansion in Telent’s ability to build telecom infrastructure for mobile network operators (MNO) and for providers in the site acquisition and design area.

Warwick-based Telent will expand its ADC (acquire, design and construct) service.

Jo Gretton, CEO of Telent, said: “The addition of the site acquisition, planning and design capability that the team at Harlequin bring to Telent enables us to provide a complete and compelling proposition for the UK MNO market. The timing of this acquisition is ideal as the UK’s mobile networks are ramping up their transition to 5G technology.”

Harlequin Group, also based in Warwick, is a specialist in the deployment of mobile and fixed-line telecoms has engineers surveyors and town planners to work on site acquisition.

David Summers, MD and founder of the Harlequin Group, said: “The scale and reach that Telent offer – combined with the expertise of the Harlequin Group in acquisition, planning and design – will offer a really powerful proposition for MNOs.

“The resulting synergies will benefit both Telent’s and Harlequin’s existing customers and create the opportunity to further scale-up as the migration towards 5G gathers pace.”

Previous Harlequin Group projects included the delivery of Government projects, such as the Mobile Infrastructure Project (MIP) and the Smart Metering network in Scotland, as well as fibre broadband expansion throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. They currently work from offices in Chatham, Bromsgrove and Livingston in Scotland.

As a wholly owned subsidiary of Telent, the Harlequin Group will join the company’s Network Services division and, under the leadership of David Summers, will continue to trade under the Harlequin brand.

Telent were supported with this acquisition by Pinsent Mason and Ernst & Young . The Harlequin Group were advised on their sale by RSM UK Corporate Finance and Hill Dickinson.

Rikesh Patel, corporate finance director at RSM UK, said: “As the UK’s mobile network transition to 5G technology accelerates, the timing of this acquisition brings together two industry leaders to combine their specialist services and expertise to capitalise on the opportunity as the UK gears up for the rapid rollout of 5G technology. This deal also further strengthens RSM’s credentials in the telecoms sector.”

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