In a bold move to cement their hold on the area marketplace, BXI announced Tuesday that it is purchasing assets formerly held by Storm Internet, a rival ISP provider.
BXI is purchasing around 2,400 customers that live in rural areas and various other network assets to beef up its Xplorenet brand of services.
Storm is continuing operations in Lanark County and the greater Ottawa area, and will be working to increase its wireless Internet services in the entire region. The companies announced that they both would work to grow their business opportunities in the area.
“We value the local loyal customers that have made up our rural business and residential customer base, and we are pleased to have been part of closing the divide digitally,” said Barry Williams. Mr. Williams is president and CEO of Storm Internet Services.
“We have partnered with BXI, and we stand confident that our rural customers are receiving a superior product and customer service from their Xplornet services,” said Williams.
In early 2007 the City of Ottawa gave their approval to a broadband wireless system that was designed to cover all of rural Ottawa. The City chipped in with a subsidy in the amount of $750,000 dollars to help out with start up capital costs of nearly $6 million dollars.