Utility Telephone to Acquire Minden-based WPTI Telecom

Carson City Now.org

Utility Telephone, Inc. will acquire the customer base and network assets of Minden-based DSL and VoIP provider WPTI Telecom, LLC.

Under the terms of the agreement, Utility will acquire customers throughout the Reno, Carson City and Douglas-county markets, and will add a substantial DSL footprint to Utility’s existing Nevada network which includes a 2.5 Gigabit-per-second fiber-optic network linking Reno, Carson City and Fernley. WPTI’s customer base will now be offered new services such as Ethernet-over copper, MPLS, Web Hosting and Long-Distance products, in addition to customer-premise equipment.

“We are very excited to add a large group of loyal customers to the Utility Telephone family,” said Jason Mills, Founder and CEO of Utility Telephone. “Customers demand and deserve reliable service from a company that has a local presence and is accountable. WPTI is an excellent provider with that same ‘local touch’, and we know that these new members will be pleased to experience the exceptional value that all customers receive from Utility Telephone.”

Douglas County’s incumbent telephone provider, Verizon Communications, recently sold their assets to Frontier Communications of Rochester, NY. The Utility-WPTI deal will provide even more options for business-class communications in the region.

Earlier this year Utility added local direct sales teams and service technicians, and this transaction further enhances Utility’s market share and depth in the Reno-Douglas market. “Utility Telephone is an excellent match in size, culture and approach to the market for our customers. We know that they will be in good hands,” said Tony Prestigiacomo, Chief Executive of WPTI Telecom. “Utility’s leadership and customer care are unmatched. I can’t think of a better organization to further shepherd the relationships we’ve cultivated with customers here at WPTI.”

This transaction is subject to closing terms and conditions, including regulatory approvals, expected in quarter three of this year. Following approval, customers will experience no degradation of service and transfer to Utility’s systems will be expertly executed.
About Utility Telephone:

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Stockton, CA, Utility Telephone provides business-to-business telephone and internet services focusing on competitive pricing, comprehensive product lines and long-term customer relationships. In addition to its network, covering nearly all of California and Northern Nevada, Utility Telephone’s senior management team possesses more than 100 years of combined customer-centric telecommunication experience. These elements combine to give Utility Telephone a competitive advantage over incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) and other competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). From basic voice to VoIP, data, Internet and managed IP services, Utility Telephone strives to deliver the right solutions at the right price to help companies communicate effectively.

To read the full story, visit http://www.carsonnow.org/story/09/19/2010/utility-telephone-acquire-minden-based-wpti-telecom.