FirstLight to buy 186 Communications’ fiber-optic networks

July 13, 2017

Fiber-optic bandwidth infrastructure services provider FirstLight announced that it will expand its fiber-optic network through the acquisition of 186 Communications. Operating in the Northeast, FirstLight will combine its fiber-optic network and data, Internet, data center, cloud, and voice services portfolio with 186's high-capacity fiber-optic networks in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

"This is another exciting development for FirstLight," said Kurt Van Wagenen, President and CEO of FirstLight. "This acquisition is very complementary to FirstLight's existing network and capabilities. It extends our network reach further into Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, adds an impressive roster of customers, and builds on the strong, positive momentum we have had over the past several years."

Pending acquisition of 186, as well as of the Finger Lakes Technologies Group (see "FirstLight to buy Finger Lakes Technologies Group for NY, PA expansion"), FirstLight will add approximately 14,000 route miles of fiber-optic cable to link nearly 8,000 locations and 12 data centers across the Northeast.

"I am pleased that 186 Communications will be combined with FirstLight," Rob Carmichael, CEO of 186 said. "The companies have collaborated many times over the years, and now as one organization, we will be better positioned to continue to serve the growing bandwidth needs of businesses throughout the Northeast."

"This acquisition represents the next logical step in a series of strategic transactions that have dramatically transformed FirstLight into one of the largest fiber providers serving the IT infrastructure needs of carriers and business customers throughout the Northeast," added Scott Baker and Benjy Diesbach, partners at Oak Hill and members of the FirstLight Board of Directors.

Last year FirstLight was acquired by Oak Hill (see "Oak Hill Capital Partners targets FirstLight Fiber") and earlier this year, Oak Hill acquired Oxford Networks to integrate with FirstLight (see "FirstLight Fiber, Oxford Networks combine fiber-optic networks").

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