CALGARY – Bell announced Tuesday that it has completed its acquisition of Axia NetMedia Corporation, the Calgary-based operator of Alberta broadband network SuperNet.
Launched in 2005, SuperNet was built to deliver broadband network connectivity for Alberta government and public organizations, business users and Internet providers offering service directly to customers throughout the province. The network now connects more than 1,900 schools and other learning centres, 650 government locations, 250 healthcare facilities, 300 libraries and 80 Alberta municipalities. Currently, 43 First Nations in the Treaty 6, 7 and 8 regions and 8 Métis settlements have SuperNet connectivity within or adjacent to their communities.
Bell said in July that it was seeking to buy SuperNet provider Axia NetMedia, just days after it was awarded a multi-year contract from the Alberta government to operate SuperNet. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In addition to the contract to supply all SuperNet services, Bell now owns and operates Axia network assets connecting a total of 402 rural Alberta communities, along with the 27 urban areas already connected to SuperNet by Bell. The acquisition also creates new opportunities to provide advanced Bell Business Markets (BBM) solutions in Security, Data Centres and Unified Communications to Alberta-based and national enterprise customers and Internet service providers in the province, added the news release.
The integrated Bell-Axia team will be led by Bell's vice chair for Western Canada Dan McKeen and Ryan Klassen, who will be responsible for all day-to-day operations in the newly created role of vice-president, business solutions and Axia Group.
"Bell welcomes the Axia team as we move forward together in executing our new multi-year SuperNet partnership with the Government of Alberta," said McKeen, in the release. "The integration of Axia's seasoned Alberta team with Bell's national scale and established SuperNet assets across the province enables both the seamless delivery of SuperNet services and accelerated innovation opportunities for broadband users throughout Alberta."
