Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt (“CBHH”) advises Highland Broadband on its £40m investment from Alpha Real Capital (“Alpha Real”)
August 2025
CBHH is pleased to announce that it acted as exclusive financial adviser to Highland Broadband (the “Company”) in obtaining a £40m commitment from Alpha Real to support its rollout of full fibre broadband to rural communities in Scotland.
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes unveiled the new financing secured by the Company during a visit to one of Highland Broadband’s network builds in August. As well as announcing the new funding, she also emphasised the positive impact Highland Broadband has had on the numerous Scottish communities it has connected with fibre infrastructure.
Highland Broadband, which has already connected c.50% of the Scottish Highlands’ rural premises to full fibre infrastructure, has now secured a further £50 million of funding, comprising £40 million from Alpha Real Capital and a further £10 million from the Scottish National Investment Bank.
The new funding ensures that Highland Broadband has sufficient capital to fulfil its planned fibre network expansion across rural Scotland, and it is on track to reach over 150 small towns and villages in the coming year.
“This injection of £50 million of new capital means we have the funding as well as the capability to continue network expansion throughout rural Scotland. Against the backdrop of a challenging UK financing environment, we were impressed by CBHH’s ability, working with us to successfully obtain the financing we were seeking.”
“We are delighted to have been able to arrange suitable debt financing for Highland Broadband during what has been an extremely challenging financing market for UK fibre broadband providers more generally. It was, however, made considerably easier by the fact that Highland Broadband is one of the top-performing companies in their sector in the UK. We are particularly pleased, too, to have introduced a new lender to the sector”
About Highland Broadband
Highland Broadband is the only broadband infrastructure operator dedicated to bridging the digital divide throughout the rural and underserved communities of Scotland. With a mission to deliver ultrafast, reliable broadband access across rural Scotland, Highland Broadband already connects 50% of all rural premises in the Scottish Highlands.
Highland Broadband combines market-leading technology with a strong commitment to local service through its Inverness-based contact centre as well as service and installation teams based within local communities. The Company’s network expansion is on track to extend its reach to over 150 small towns and villages across rural Scotland in the coming year.
About AlphaReal
AlphaReal is a specialist real assets investment manager focused on secure income strategies. The firm invests in UK and European assets with predictable, secure, long‐term cash flows. AlphaReal provides market-leading and innovative real asset solutions across a range of investments such as alternative credit, infrastructure, including renewable and social, and commercial ground rents. AlphaReal has a 200 plus strong professional team with approximately £4.8 billion of assets under management, including capital commitments.
About Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt (‘CBHH’)
Cameron Barney Herbst Hilgenfeldt (CBHH) is an independent European investment bank providing financing and M&A advisory services to fast-growing companies in the infra-tech sector, including energy transition infrastructure, digital infrastructure, social infrastructure, natural capital, and technology. Cameron Barney LLP is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
For further information, please contact:
CBHH
Charles Cameron +44 7785 292 019
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