Rural Broadband Investments, a company that acquires and invests in rural-focused cable systems in small-to-medium sized markets, has added another piece to its portfolio by purchasing several Illinois-based cable systems from Cass Cable TV.
The systems, located in Brighton, Carrollton, Jerseyville, Manchester, Roodhouse and White Hall, Ill., "are an excellent add-on to our Southwest Illinois footprint," RBI CEO Phil Spencer said in a press release.
The new systems are more than an investment; RBI plans to upgrade them by rolling out advanced services already available in nearby markets RBI operates as NewWave Communications, Spencer said.
"We intend to fiber tie these systems and offer additional HD channels, advanced commercial services and a more robust Internet service (which will) give us an exceptional opportunity to better serve customers and increase penetration of high-speed Internet service as well as advanced commercial services," he added.
The Cass system infrastructure isn't exactly falling off the poles, according to company vice president Chad Winters.
"Cass made many fiber enhancements that brought advanced services to the area," Winters pointed out in the press release and now "New Wave Communications is going to take technology to the next level (because it) recognizes the need for technology in rural areas."
RBI has been on something of a buying streak since April 2013 as it aims to build a base of 300,000 to 400,000 subscribers. Among those deals were investments in NewWave Communications, Cable Management Associates, the McDonald Cable/Cablevision systems and City Cable from Poplar Bluff, Mo. The company currently has 150,000 customers as it passes more than 440,000 residences in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Nevada.
For more:
- see this press release
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