Hotwire Communications receives investment from Blackstone
Funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Blackstone Infrastructure Partners have made an investment in Hotwire Communications, which provides broadband services via fiber to the home (FTTH) in Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Blackstone did not reveal the size of the investment.
Hotwire was co-founded in 2000 by Michael Karp and CEO Kristin Johnson. The company specializes in providing FTTH-based broadband to high-rise multi-dwelling units, gated communities, and homeowners’ associations in the states it serves. “The Hotwire team is thrilled with the partnership with Blackstone,” said Hotwire’s Johnson. “We have an aligned vision for both the future of broadband and fiber-optic infrastructure, and Blackstone’s broad reach will help Hotwire to continue to scale as a premier provider of telecom and Internet services during a time when digital services are playing an increasingly vital role in all our lives.”
“We are proud to back this team of world-class technology entrepreneurs at Hotwire,” commented Jasvinder Khaira, a senior managing director with Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, Blackstone’s platform that invests globally across asset classes, industries, and geographies.” Consumers are increasingly seeking state-of-the-art fiber connectivity to meet their growing need for connected devices in their homes, and we believe Hotwire is exceptionally well positioned to capitalize on this rising market demand. We look forward to leveraging Blackstone’s scale to turbocharge Hotwire’s growth with further investment.”
“We are enormously excited to invest behind the Hotwire management team as they continue their pioneering efforts to deliver best-in-class technology and connectivity,” added Greg Blank, a senior managing director with Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, Blackstone’s permanent capital infrastructure platform that invests in the transportation, digital infrastructure, energy (renewables, utility and midstream), and water and waste sectors. “Data proliferation and consumer connectivity are two of Blackstone’s highest conviction themes, and we are pleased to invest in an industry leader. By combining Hotwire’s strong, entrepreneurial business model with Blackstone’s scale, resources, and reach, we see an immense opportunity for continued growth.”
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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.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.