RCR Wireless Reports on Crown Castle/NextG Networks Deal

The RCR Wireless article, ​“Crown Castle to Buy NextG Networks for $1B” noted the nation’s largest tower operator is making a major investment in distributed antenna systems (DAS) with its purchase of NextG Networks from a private equity group led by Madison Dearborn Partners. The article explained that Crown Castle markets DAS options to wireless operators that want to reach areas where traditional network build-outs are difficult because of zoning or cost constraints or lack of coverage by a macro network. Many of the customers are in hard-to-reach areas in big cities. It reported that 80 percent of NextG’s nodes are in the 10 largest U.S. metro areas. RCR Wireless stated Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Kelley Drye & Warren LLP advised NextG Networks and Cravath, Swain & Moore advised Crown Castle.