Buyout firm BC Partners Ltd is in pole position to acquire a data center business that CenturyLink Inc, a U.S. provider of phone and internet services, is hoping to divest for more than $2.5 billion, people familiar with the matter said.

BC Partners emerged as the lead bidder after another private equity consortium comprising GTCR LLC, Charlesbank Capital Partners LLC, Berkshire Partners LLC and Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, which was also pursuing the assets, broke apart without any deal reached, the people said this week.

The sale process has been complicated by leases that CenturyLink has with Digital Realty Trust Inc, a company which rents out data centers, making a deal with BC Partners uncertain, the people said.

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