Morgan Stanley Investment Management (“MSIM”), through investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (“MSIP”), a private infrastructure investment platform within MSIM, announced it has entered into an exclusivity agreement to partner with Altice France S.A. (“Altice France”) to establish the first nationwide independent distributed colocation provider in France through the acquisition of a majority interest in UltraEdge, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.

Currently a part of SFR S.A., a fully-owned subsidiary of Altice France, UltraEdge represents a portfolio of 257 data centers interconnected via SFR’s countrywide fiber network which will be carved out through a demerger of SFR’s data center operations, in order to establish the first nationwide independent distributed colocation provider in France. The passive infrastructure and equipment of the data centers will be transferred to UltraEdge with servers and active equipment retained at SFR. Through its distributed portfolio of facilities and proximity to end users, UltraEdge is expected to benefit from the increasing demand for next-generation ultra-low latency connectivity services.

“We believe the opportunity to create an independent and distributed edge colocation provider, benefiting from access to SFR’s nationwide fiber infrastructure in France, makes UltraEdge a very attractive investment for MSIP,” said Yacine Saidji, Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe for MSIP.

MSIP will partner with Altice France to continue upgrading the infrastructure and increasing the density of the portfolio, which will contribute towards establishing UltraEdge’s position as a leading provider in edge computing in France.

About UltraEdge

UltraEdge is an independent distributed colocation provider consisting of a distributed portfolio of 257 data centers located in metropolitan areas across France. UltraEdge enables essential data storage and connectivity services benefiting from an installed capacity of more than 45MW and 33,000sqm of owned office space as well as from being interconnected via SFR’s nationwide fiber network. With its extensive countrywide presence, UltraEdge is positioned to benefit from the growing demand for ultra-low latency connectivity services from corporate clients and other telecommunications operators in France.

About Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners

Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (“MSIP”) is a leading global private infrastructure investment platform with approximately $16 billion in assets under management¹. Founded in 2006, MSIP has invested in a diverse portfolio of over 35 investments across transport, digital infrastructure, energy transition and utilities. MSIP targets assets that provide essential public goods and services with the potential for value creation through active asset management. For further information about Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im/infrastructurepartners.

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 1,300 investment professionals around the world and $1.4 trillion in assets under management or supervision as of September 30, 2023. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service, and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide. For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com/im.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing a wide range of investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in 42 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For further information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

1. AUM reflects assets managed by MSIP platform since inception.

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