New York and New Jersey-based Pilot Fiber has agreed to acquire ExteNet Systems’ enterprise fiber business, a targeted carve-out from the DigitalBridge-backed infrastructure platform, underscoring continued specialization and portfolio reshaping across the digital infrastructure sector.
The transaction transfers ExteNet’s metro-focused enterprise fiber assets—built in part through earlier acquisitions of Hudson Fiber Network and Axiom Fiber Network—into Pilot Fiber’s footprint, expanding its reach in dense urban connectivity, wholesale transport, and high-capacity services for commercial and data-center customers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Asset divestiture, not a company sale
Pilot Fiber is not acquiring ExteNet itself, but rather a single business line carved out of the broader ExteNet platform, which remains focused on distributed networks, small-cell infrastructure, and mobility connectivity. Because ExteNet has long been owned by infrastructure investors led by DigitalBridge and Stonepeak, the assets effectively originate from a DigitalBridge-controlled portfolio, highlighting how private capital continues to separate enterprise fiber from wireless-adjacent infrastructure to sharpen returns and strategic focus.
Deal unfolds amid broader ownership transition
The divestiture comes as SoftBank’s planned acquisition of DigitalBridge, previously reported by Wireless Estimator, is expected to close in 2026, a development that could further reshape capital allocation across multiple U.S. communications-infrastructure platforms. Portfolio streamlining ahead of ownership transitions is a familiar pattern in the sector, particularly where enterprise fiber assets can be repositioned into more focused operating platforms.
Metro enterprise fiber remains in demand
For Pilot Fiber, the acquisition deepens its position in a bandwidth-intensive metro corridor, where cloud growth, AI workloads, and data center interconnection continue to drive demand for low-latency, redundant fiber routes. For the remaining ExteNet platform, the move signals tighter concentration on mobility infrastructure and distributed network solutions tied to long-term wireless densification.
The transaction reflects a broader industry theme: targeted carve-outs paired with focused acquisitions as infrastructure investors rebalance portfolios for the next phase of fiber and wireless investment.
