Manama, Feb. 25 (BNA): Beyon announced its selection by the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) as the Winning Investor for the Fixed Telecommunications Network Development Project in Kuwait.

The announcement, made in Kuwait by KAPP, marks the next phase in preparations to establish a project company under a 50-year Public Private Partnership agreement whereby Beyon will design, finance, build, operate, and maintain Kuwait’s nationwide, high-speed fibre broadband network with a total investment exceeding $2.8 billion over the lifetime of the agreement. KAPP will hold a 60% stake in the project company to be established for the project, while Beyon will retain a 40 percent stake.

Once the project is fully operational, KAPP will IPO a portion of the shares to be subscribed by Kuwaiti citizens.

The project represents one of the most significant national infrastructure programs in Kuwait and marks a major regional milestone for the Beyon Group. The partnership aims to deliver a nationwide high-speed fibre network reaching 90% of Kuwait’s available plots. The network will support 10Gbps symmetrical connectivity in accordance with the PPP requirements, ensuring resilient, future-ready digital capacity for households, enterprises, and government entities. This initiative will form the backbone of Kuwait’s digital transformation strategy and will contribute to a key pillar of Kuwait Vision 2035.

The award of the project follows a rigorous qualification and tender process, in which Beyon was selected ahead of several leading international competitors, having met the project’s technical and compliance requirements. Notably, the proposal was developed entirely in-house by Beyon’s teams, demonstrating the Group’s technical capability and leadership in fibre network transformation.

Beyon’s submission was strengthened by its proven experience in large-scale fibre deployment across multiple markets, including Bahrain, Jordan, the Maldives, and the Channel Islands. Across its operating companies, the Group has delivered more than 2.2 million home-passed connections, with fibre coverage in the Kingdom of Bahrain reaching 95.4%. A key component of the bid was Beyon’s experience in the structural separation of Batelco by Beyon and the establishment of Bahrain Network (BNET) as a standalone wholesale entity in the Kingdom of Bahrain. That transformation demonstrated the Group’s ability to execute complex brownfield transitions, system migrations, and regulatory compliance programs while maintaining uninterrupted service continuity.

Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of Beyon Group, said that the Group was honoured to be selected as the Winning Investor for a project of national significance to the State of Kuwait, expressing appreciation to KAPP and the Ministry of Communications for the confidence placed in Beyon. He added that the achievement reflects the Group’s commitment to enabling advanced digital infrastructure across the region and demonstrates regional capabilities in delivering projects of strategic national importance.

Shaikh Abdulla bin Khalifa noted that the milestone builds on the progressive transformation of Bahrain’s telecommunications sector under the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, whose leadership has supported the Kingdom’s comprehensive development and infrastructure modernisation, laying the foundations that have positioned the Group to contribute to national digital infrastructure initiatives beyond its home market.

Andrew Kvalseth, CEO of Beyon Group, said that the achievement follows two years of dedicated efforts by the Group’s teams. He noted that the selection as Winning Investor reflects the Group’s engineering strength, operational capability and readiness for execution. He added that the Group’s digital-first operating model, strong go-to-market preparedness, and established retail and wholesale track record were key differentiators in the tender process.

He further noted that the experience gained from the structural separation of BNET as a standalone entity provided practical insight into managing large-scale fibre infrastructure within a national regulatory framework. He affirmed that the Group is fully prepared to proceed with implementation and to establish the new Project Company in accordance with the concession requirements.

With the agreement announcement, Beyon will now prepare for the next phase of the process, ensuring that all requirements are in place to support the project’s timely progression. The Group will continue to work in close coordination with KAPP and the Kuwait Ministry of Communications to align with the programme’s objectives and readiness for implementation.

H.K, s.a