Ting Internet, a subsidiary of Tucows, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Simply Bits, a fixed wireless network provider based in Tucson, AZ.
Simply Bits is the largest fixed wireless company in the city, according to Ting, and the acquisition is designed to provide Ting with a quick entry into the southern Arizona market.
Ting plans to acquire all of Simply Bits’ infrastructure and about 4,500 customers, a 1,100 square mile fixed wireless network and what the company said is a small number of FTTH subscribers. Ting will retain Simply Bits’ employees and senior management.
The price tag and other details of the deal were not included in the press release. Tucows said that the deal, which is expected to close during the fourth quarter of this year, is subject to regulatory approvals and other typical closing conditions.
Simply Bits provides Internet access, voice, fax and other broadband services. It was founded in 2004 and serves the most populated areas of southern Arizona, including Tucson, Marana, Vail, Oro Valley, Green Valley, Rio Rico, Sahuarita and Douglas. Its footprint covers more than 425,000 residences and enterprises, educational institutions and government agencies.
“This acquisition marks another milestone for Ting as we move into the large and growing Arizona market,” Jill Szuchmacher, Ting’s chief strategy officer and executive vice president of networks, said in the press release. “This deal allows us to leverage an existing network with significant capacity, ultimately accelerating our growth. By building on Simply Bits’ decades-long service in Southern Arizona, we will have a platform to introduce Ting to the broader Pima, Pinal, Santa Cruz and Cochise county communities, and the team and resources to enter the market quickly.”
Ting Internet first emerged in 2014 when it announced ambitious plans for gigabit networks.
