TDS Telecom, a unit of Telephone and Data Systems, said it closed its previously announced purchase of BendBroadband in Oregon for $261 million. This represents TDS's second cable operations buy, having also purchased Baja Broadband, a New Mexico-based cable firm operating in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, for $267.7 million. TDS said it will manage the acquired BendBroadband businesses, which also include The Vault, a data center operation, and Zolo Media, which manages and sells advertising on three Oregon TV stations and cable networks in the state. TDS's OneNeck It Solutions plans to integrate The Vault into its data-center portfolio.
"Our success will be fueled by a geographic region that is exploding with business growth and residential development. It's the hot spot of Central Oregon," TDS Telecom CEO David A. Wittwer said in a release. "I believe the BendBroadband businesses have significant potential to deliver increased returns over time and the team of talented employees in Bend will help us expand our cable operations and expertise in other states as well."
Previously it was reported that BendBroadband had about 36,000 video customers, 41,000 high-speed data subscribers and 22,000 digital telephony customers in Central Oregon. It had 2013 revenue of $70 million and nearly 300 employees, who have now joined TDS Telecom.
