Antin Wraps Acquisition of Empire Access, North Penn to Create New FTTH Player

Antin Infrastructure Partners has completed its acquisitions of Empire Access and North Penn Telephone, giving birth to a new fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) player serving Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania.

This is the latest in several new investments in the regional FTTP provider market segment.

Empire’s network consists of 1,280 fiber route miles servicing over 96,000 addresses and 29,000 customers in Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania. The provider said in a release that it plans to expand its high-speed fiber broadband footprint across the region.

Jim Baase, CEO at Empire, said the “Empire-Antin partnership will enable us to grow more quickly.”

In 2021, Empire was rated as the “Fastest ISP in the U.S.” by PC Mag. The Wagner family, which has controlled Empire since 1946, retained an ownership stake in the company and Brian Wagner will remain on the company’s board of directors. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Citizens, CIT (a division of First Citizens Bank), and Webster Bank acted as lead arrangers on the debt financing, with Citizens also acting as financial advisor to Antin. Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Morgan Lewis & Bockius acted as legal advisors to Antin. Harter Secrest & Emery acted as legal advisors to Empire.