Ziply Fiber buys Wholesail Networks, announces initial fiber upgrade sites

Ziply Fiber, the company WaveDivision Capital, LLC set up to run the former Northwest operations of Frontier Communications that it acquired earlier this month (see “Ziply Fiber new name for former Frontier Communications northwest operations”), has announced its first acquisition. The company has purchased privately held Wholesail Networks, a telecommunications and internet infrastructure company based in the U.S. Northwest, for an undisclosed sum. Ziply Fiber also has announced the first 13 markets in which it will install new fiber to the premises (FTTP) networks.

Ziply said it already had begun working with Wholesail Networks last fall to begin making FTTP network expansion plans while WaveDivision was closing the purchase from Frontier. These activities included upgrades to its core and aggregation networks to add redundancy and resiliency – e.g., installing two sets of fiber cabling, routers, cards, etc. – in the majority of Ziply’s more than 130 regional hubs. The two companies also collaborated on the installation of second and third fiber connections through and between Ziply’s major markets.

“We believe you don’t have to live in a big city to get great internet, especially in this time where so many people across the region work from home and engage with their schools, community groups, friends, customers, and work teams primarily online,” said Harold Zeitz, CEO of Ziply Fiber. “That’s why both the acquisition of Wholesail Networks and kicking off our fiber build-outs are so important and exciting to us. We are improving the internet for our existing customers and enabling new fiber customers. Our network is purpose-built for the internet and these are two big steps towards fully enabling that and giving our customers a better online experience than possible with any other technology.”

Thanks to the head start, Ziply expects to begin launching FTTP roll-outs over the next two or three weeks in the 13 communities. The markets, which don’t currently have fiber, include:

• Washington: Anacortes, Kennewick, Pullman, Richland, and Snohomish
• Oregon: Coquille, Coos Bay, La Grande, North Bend
• Idaho: Coeur d’Alene, Kellogg, Moscow
• Montana: Libby.

Ziply notes that some projects may take 90-150 days to finish depending on complexity, scale, and geography. However, the company believes that first customers will be able to access services approximately 45-60 days after each project begins.

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