Sudbury-based Vianet has finalized a deal to purchase Zing Networks, a wireless Internet service provider with more than 100 antenna sites, covering 7,500 square kilometres of south-central Ontario.
Zing is based in Schomberg, centrally located between Toronto and Barrie, and provides fixed wireless Internet service to communities and areas north of Toronto. It serves non-urban areas surrounding communities like Orangeville, Bolton, Alliston (New Tecumseth), Bradford, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffille, Uxbridge, Port Perry and Barrie.
In conjunction with the Zing acquisition, Vianet is investing $4 million over the next year in new fibre-optic cable construction and wireless network upgrades throughout the current Zing territory.
This latest Vianet acquisition is the first that puts the Sudbury company firmly in the southern Ontario market.
“We are very excited about this deal,” Vianet president Will Gasteiger said in a news release. “It accelerates Vianet’s current growth while staying true to our commitment of providing specialized connectivity solutions to under-served regions of Ontario—ensuring that people in these communities have the same quality of Internet as large cities—if not better."
Vianet provides high-speed Internet, HD television, and telephone service as well as a full range of data services for businesses. It has more than two decades of expertise bringing high-quality telecommunications to a mix of urban, rural and remote communities and has over 100 employees serving customers throughout Ontario. Over the years, Vianet has grown through both acquisition and by focusing on building its own fibre and wireless infrastructure to meet customer demand.
“This is just a perfect fit for us, for Zing, and—most importantly—for the customers,” Gasteiger said. “Zing has a great reputation with its clients and we believe Vianet can help take that service to the next level. Vianet has a lot of experience with acquiring companies and taking the best of both operations to build a better organization. We are looking forward to this opportunity and becoming a part of these communities.”
Financial details of Vianet’s latest acquisition are not being disclosed.
Vianet will formally take over providing service and billing on July 1.
