Date: January 08, 2008
Source: Atria Networks
Contact: Tom Pollock, Atria; Marjorie Richards, Hamilton Utilities Corporation
Expanded 3,000 km fibre-optic network is one of Ontario’s largest
(Kitchener/Hamilton, ON) Atria Networks LP today announced that it has acquired the assets of FibreWired Hamilton from Hamilton Utilities Corporation. FibreWired Hamilton staff will continue working as Atria Networks employees and will benefit from being a part of a much larger data services organization.
Since its inception in 1998, FibreWired Hamilton has created an extensive regional fibre-optic network and provided public and private sector customers with the highest-speed Internet and data services.
For Atria, the FibreWired acquisition extends its fibre-optic infrastructure into the important Ontario market of Hamilton. The move follows Atria’s recent acquisitions of Simcoe Community Broadband Network (SCBN Telecommunications Inc.), the primary fibre-optic data communications service provider for Barrie and the Simcoe County area, and PowerStream’s fibre-optic assets throughout the York Region.
“We’re looking forward to serving Hamilton area businesses and are excited about the prospects for enhancing the community’s data services,” said Steve McCartney, CEO of Atria Networks. “Businesses and public sector customers in Hamilton will now have unprecedented seamless access to an expanded 3,000 km fibre-optic network operating across Central Ontario, with extended service into markets that are home to more than 170,000 enterprises and populated by over 2.6 million people.”
The added capability of the state-of-the-art Hamilton-based data centre augments Atria’s high-security commercial data services, providing business continuity and disaster recovery services in close proximity to all Atria customers. Atria will continue to offer security solutions that are internally managed and controlled.
Atria Networks will serve FibreWired customers through its regional Hamilton office, adding new and enhanced services as they become available.
“Hamilton Utilities recognized some time ago that its opportunities to support FibreWired Hamilton in creating additional value for customers, employees, and its shareholder were becoming limited,” said John Basilio, Senior Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of Hamilton Utilities Corporation. “A strategic divestiture resulting in a larger and more diversified company made the most sense for all stakeholders and we are very pleased with this transaction including the delivery of significant return to our shareholder, the City of Hamilton, on its investment in FibreWired Hamilton. We extend our best wishes to Atria, its customers, and its employees for future success.”
About Atria Networks
Atria Networks LP owns and operates a contiguous fibre-optic network that connects vibrant and growing markets across Ontario with fast, highly dependable Internet access, point-to-point data connectivity, IT continuity and disaster recovery services.
With one of the most extensive fibre-optic networks in Ontario, Atria can scale immediately to meet any bandwidth requirement.
Continuity services include offsite data storage, email and web security, and Internet redundancy for protection against downtime losses in revenue and productivity. Active in the communities served, Atria Networks provides free WiFi Internet in public libraries and invests locally in education and literacy.
About FibreWired Hamilton
FibreWired Hamilton is a diverse telecommunications enterprise supported by a 600 km network of fibre-optic cable, spanning a broad contiguous area centered in Hamilton, Ontario. The company provides high-speed data solutions, Internet connectivity, professional services, and recently designed and constructed a high security commercial data centre providing business continuity and disaster recovery services.
About Hamilton Utilities Corporation
Hamilton Utilities Corporation is a holding company with a 78.9 per cent ownership in a regulated local electricity distribution company (Horizon Utilities Corporation) and a district energy facility operating in downtown Hamilton (Hamilton Community Energy). The company is committed to providing essential public utility and related services in a manner that balances commercial discipline with environmental and social responsibility. Hamilton Utilities Corporation is wholly-owned by the City of Hamilton. For more information, visit: www.hamiltonucorp.com.
For more information, contact:
Tom Pollock
President
Atria Networks LP
Toll free 310-1214
www.atrianetworks.com
Marjorie Richards
Vice President Corporate Services
Hamilton Utilities Corporation
Phone: 1-905-317-4782
Email: merichards@hamiltonucorp.com
