CCI Wireless announces strategic acquisition of WiBand Communications Corp.
CALGARY, May 8, 2019 /CNW/ - Corridor Communications Inc. (CCI Wireless) is pleased to announce its strategic acquisition of WiBand Communications Corp. (WiBand). As a result, CCI Wireless is now Canada's second-largest wireless internet service provider (WISP). Founded in 1998, WiBand was one of the first fixed wireless broadband companies in the country and continues to be one of the largest commercial wireless internet and data solutions providers in Western Canada.
WiBand represents the co-op owned WISP's first major acquisition since its founding in 2007. The acquisition supports CCI Wireless' long-term vision and strategy of connecting the under-connected by enhancing its product offering and expanding its coverage area to encompass Western Canada.
"By following our founding purpose of connecting un-served and under-connected rural Alberta, CCI became the company that made connections possible, wherever they were needed," says Jordan Young, CEO of CCI Wireless. "With this acquisition, CCI is well-positioned to address not only residential connectivity challenges, but also business connectivity challenges, enabling both business and community to connect to their futures."
CCI Wireless will leverage WiBand's two decades of experience serving business customers across urban and rural British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to provide enhanced business services to the 26,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in Alberta's significantly under-served rural business sector.
WiBand's network assets provide the ability for CCI Wireless to bring its residential offerings to WiBand's coverage footprint, positioning the company as the preferred choice for high quality broadband connections in Western Canada.
"We find the joining of our two companies to be a great fit, with remarkable synergies," says Mike Bayes, President of WiBand. "When you overlay our network assets, there is very little cross-over, and our goals and company culture are an exact match. Together, we will be able to take advantage of opportunities that each of us couldn't have accomplished alone."
CCI Wireless is also eager to bolster WiBand's network construction division, One Nation Networks, which is focused on turnkey network construction for business, government and Indigenous communities. Acquiring this network-building capacity brings the opportunity to drastically improve internet service to hundreds of Indigenous communities, statistically the most under-served regions in Canada, while empowering their local economies. True to our purpose, wherever there are under-served Canadians, CCI has a mission to fulfill.
CCI Wireless intends to maintain WiBand's current services, staffing, network, and operations. WiBand's former owner and CEO Robert Kennedy has joined the CCI Wireless Board of Directors.
The closing date of this acquisition was May 1, 2019. WiBand was represented in this transaction by the CIBC Mid-Market Investment Banking Group.
About CCI Wireless
Corridor Communications Inc. (CCI Wireless) is an internet service provider specializing in fixed-point wireless connections for rural and remote Alberta. Our mission is to deliver high speed internet to the un-served and under-connected. CCI is the product of nine founding rural Alberta natural gas co-ops who, in 2007, realized that broadband internet was "the next electricity." CCI now offers one of the largest internet and home phone coverage areas in our province. Still true to our grassroots origins, we pride ourselves on customizing connectivity solutions for each community, over a network of 200+ carrier-grade towers and across 200,000 square kilometers.
Read more: cciwireless.ca/about
About WiBand
WiBand Communications Corp. (WiBand) was founded in 1998 as one of the first wireless broadband companies in Canada. We are a service-driven technology company that specializes in providing holistic, custom communications solutions. WiBand is the provider of choice for commercial internet and networking services to thousands of business customers and government organizations throughout Western Canada.
Read more: wiband.com
About One Nation Networks
WiBand's Network Construction Division, One Nation Networks, is responsible for the design and construction of wireless broadband and fibre networks for business, government, rural and Indigenous communities. One Nation Networks has built several successful partnerships with Indigenous communities (most notably Siksika First Nation, Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and Ebb and Flow First Nation) to build turnkey, Nation-owned-and-operated internet service providers that offer internet, phone, and television service to Band members, local businesses, and rural residents.
Read more: onenationnetworks.com
SOURCE CCI Wireless (Corridor Communications Inc.)
For inquiries, please contact: Jordan Young, Chief Executive Officer, CCI Wireless - Corridor Communications Inc., Email: [email protected]
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