Integra is in the process of re-invention. Integra re-organized and revived the Electric Lightwave brand. CEO Kevin O'Hara was replaced by a board member and the HQ moved to Vancouver. But it looks like it will stick with its fiber first focus.
Integra announced that it is acquiring opticAccess. "Founded in 2012, opticAccess provides high-capacity, fiber-based connectivity solutions for large enterprise and domestic and international carrier customers through its 3,500 route mile network, which stretches from Seattle to San Diego, with the majority of its metro fiber route miles in the Bay Area and Los Angeles metro areas." This acquisition increases the long haul fiber by 45% and the metro fiber assets by 19%.
In the Northwest, Wave Broadband is making a bunch of noise. Two years ago, it acquired Black Rock Cable for $50M to gain a bunch of dark fiber.
In 2014, Wave acquired Capacity Provisioning Incorporated (CPI). "Based in Port Angeles, WA, CPI is the largest privately owned fiber-based metro Ethernet provider on the Olympic Peninsula, focused on serving businesses and government entities in Port Angeles, Sequim and surrounding areas."
Earlier this year, Wave bought National Voice & Data, LLC dba ReallyFast.Net in Seattle. Then Wave announced a $130 million financing to accelerate the expansion of its fiber network in California, Oregon, and Washington.
Last month, Wave announced gigabit broadband service in San Francisco to MDU (condo, apartments). MDU is the way to go. Almost 100% take rate, so a fixed return on investment.
In Oregon, Wave competes with Integra, CenturyLink, Gorge.net and cable. In the SF Bay area, the list of competitors is longer due to the pockets of gigabit projects from the likes of SONIC and wi-fi projects from the likes of Google.
The FCC must be happy. Net Neutrality - despite all the yelling to the contrary - did nothing to quell broadband investment.
