[Hyperion Communications Gains Entry to 14 New Markets Through Agreement With e.spire Communications, Inc.]
COUDERSPORT, Pa., April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperion Communications (NASDAQ:HYPT), a leading competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC), has entered into an agreement with e.spire Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPI) to acquire network fiber and construction services which will allow Hyperion to quickly and cost-effectively enter 14 key markets throughout the eastern half of the United States.
The agreement gives Hyperion a long-term fiber license to approximately 576 route miles of fiber and allows Hyperion to offer its complete array of local voice, long distance, messaging, data and Internet services to 14 new business markets, including: Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Md.; Birmingham, Ala.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Columbia, S.C.; Greenville, S.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Mobile, Ala.; Montgomery, Ala.; New Orleans, La.; San Antonio, Texas; Spartanburg, S.C.; Tampa, Fla.; and Tulsa, Okla. In addition, Hyperion will acquire additional miles of fiber in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. from e.spire.
The agreement also allows Hyperion to grant e.spire a long-term license to a 432-strand fiber optic cable in Hyperion's South Florida network, and for ACSI Network Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of e.spire, to provide Hyperion with network construction and professional services, worth $30 million, during the next four years.
The markets reached through this agreement are key to Hyperion's network expansion strategy. Hyperion is currently constructing a super-regional, fully redundant, fiber optic network serving the eastern half of the United States.
"This agreement accelerates Hyperion's entry into new key markets and strengthens our presence as a major force in the communications industry," said James Rigas, CEO of Hyperion Communications. "We look forward to serving businesses in these new markets and enhancing Hyperion's reputation as a leading provider of communications solutions." |
