Grey Bruce Telecom’s been sold.
Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, but EH!Tel Networks confirmed in a statement its acquisition of Owen Sound-based internet and phone service provider GBTel, saying it closed last Friday, Feb. 28.
“Customers will continue to receive all GBTel internet and home phone services uninterrupted with no changes to contracts or rates,” a release from EH!Tel says.
EH!Tel’s parent company is Toronto private equity firm Windsor Private Capital, which also bought Bruce Telecom last year.
Windsor Private Capital Senior Vice-President Marco Di Carlantonio says the acquisition of GBTel made sense since it and EH!Tel shared a vision, and at times even infrastructure.
“We were… overlapping in certain areas, and at some point had agreements to share some infrastructure,” he explains. “So for us it’s just a further enhancement of what we’re delivering with EH!Tel through GBTel as well.”
GBTel was founded by Richard and David Gils, and has provided high-speed internet and phone services to rural communities in Grey and Bruce since 2005. Di Carlantonio says the Gils’ pair will still be involved with the company.
“I think keeping it local is important for us. I think that’s probably the most important thing for us,” he said. “David and Richard [Gils] are going to stay on, they’re going to be part of the [combined] organization… we didn’t want to lose the roots that they had established in the community. We’re excited they’re going to stay with us. We want to remain local.”
Di Carlantonio adds he feels it’s important to have people in rural communities and all over Canada able to benefit from having high-speed internet access.
“I think it’s important for Canadians, and people in Ontario to have all this at their fingertips,” he says.
Service areas for GBTel include Owen Sound, Tara, Rockford, Chatsworth, Holland Centre, Keady, Desboro, Sauble Beach, Kilsyth, Cape Croker, Wiarton, Leith, and Annan.
EH!Tel provides phone and internet services to areas including Shelburne, Horning Mills, Hopeville, Dundalk, and Durham.
