March 13, 2019, Mishawaka, Ind. – Schurz Communications announced today that following recent regulatory approval and a vote of the Burlington City Council approving the sale, its subsidiary Champlain Broadband has closed the transaction to acquire Burlington Telecom in Vermont. Schurz Communications is a privately held communications company formed in 1872 that owns several other regional broadband operations and has a variety of cloud, digital and advertising holdings comprising its technological communications portfolio.
Burlington Telecom has been a municipally owned and operated advanced fiber optic network serving the city of Burlington, Vt. since 2003. The company will continue to be managed locally in Burlington and operate under the name Burlington Telecom while honoring all aspects of the asset purchase agreement signed in December 2017.
“For five generations, Schurz Communications has focused on connecting communities through access to information and empowering engagement,” said Todd Schurz, president and chief executive officer at Schurz Communications. “We are committed to fulfilling the potential for Burlington Telecom moving forward, and this addition to our portfolio is consistent with Schurz’ mission of building partnerships that help solve problems, unite people and delight subscribers. We appreciate the Vermont Public Utilities Commission’s approval of the transaction and look forward to partnering with the City of Burlington.”
With roots in publishing and broadcasting, Schurz Communications has evolved its business strategy with the purchase of cable, telco, broadband companies starting in 1968. In February 2018, Schurz Communications announced that it had acquired leading compliant hybrid cloud provider, Online Tech, LLC, showing its commitment to diversify in adjacent industries. An additional investment in the cloud infrastructure assets of Neverfail was announced in December 2018 and highlighted the company’s interest in expanding Online Tech’s presence on a global scale.
Champlain Broadband emerged as the lead candidate to acquire Burlington Telecom after a lengthy municipal search for private investors to maintain the network. Financial details are available on the Burlington Telecom website.
About Schurz Communications Inc.
Schurz Communications Inc. is a family owned corporation that has been helping businesses, communities and individuals make meaningful connections for five generations. The Schurz legacy began in newspaper publishing and today, the company remains committed to making information more accessible through the platforms and technology of the digital age. Schurz Communications’ recent investments include regional broadband companies, global data center solutions providers and digital media and marketing firms. The company’s portfolio also includes a variety of minority investments. For more information, visit www.schurz.com.
About Burlington Telecom
Burlington Telecom offers feature-rich voice, video and data services – along with extensive local programming – to residents and businesses in and around Burlington, Vermont. It does so over a state-of-the-art fiber optic network that runs at the speed of light, or 1,000 Megabits per second. The Burlington Telecom network offers the most reliable, secure and high-quality access to communications for local homes and offices. To learn more, visit www.burlingtontelecom.com.
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