Xplornet buys F6 Networks for Maritime Provinces expansion
Xplornet Communications Inc. says it has closed an agreement to acquire F6 Networks Inc., a fiber network services provider based in New Brunswick, Canada. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The deal will expand Xplornet’s reach into the Maritime Provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
F6 Networks provides services to enterprise and business customer via its 1,600-km fiber backbone network in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia (see, for example, "FirstLight, f6networks collaborate for U.S.-Canada optical transport" and "Maine Fiber, F6 Networks interconnect New Brunswick's Fibre Centre"). Xplornet says the deal will make a company a significant independent fiber provider in Atlantic Canada as well as complement its hybrid fiber/wireless deployment plans in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island (see, for example, "Xplornet to deploy more fiber cable in Nova Scotia"). The company last year announced plans to spend CAN$500 million over five years to build infrastructure to provide broadband services in rural areas of Canada. Xplornet announced this past March that Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners will take a controlling interest in the company (see "Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners to acquire controlling stake in Canada’s Xplornet Communications").
"We are excited at the prospect of joining F6's robust fiber network to Xplornet's cutting-edge hybrid fibre wireless deployments," said Allison Lenehan, president and CEO of Xplornet. "This acquisition will accelerate our plans in Atlantic Canada, to deliver unprecedented speeds and unlimited data plans at affordable prices for rural customers."
"Atlantic Canada is our home, and we want to see its people and businesses prosper by having access to some of the best networks in the world," said Gary Keenan, co-founder and chairman of F6 Networks. "We are pleased to see F6 Networks acquired by Xplornet to continue its evolution as a champion for connectivity in this province and across Canada."
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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