Flow swallows Infochannel

Triple-service provider Columbus Communications, trading as Flow, has increased its customer base through the acquisition of the business of InfoChannel, Jamaica's longest operating Internet-service provider.

The value of the deal, involving sale of the customer portfolio and subscriber operations of InfoChannel Limited, has not been disclosed. The agreement took effect on November 1.

InfoChannel, owned by Patrick Terrelonge, began operations islandwide in 1995 and in 2009 acquired and absorbed the customer base of another local ISP, KASNET.

future-proof network

In a response to queries by Sunday Business on Thursday, Flow said, "InfoChannel customers will now have access to the fastest, most reliable Internet (service) on the island, with speeds of up to 100 mbps (megabits per second) across the entire Flow network."

It explained that its "network is future-proofed as it has been built to enable consumers to enjoy whatever new apps come down the pipe, and with a few keystrokes can deliver increased speeds to all customers".

It said that in addition to Flow's click services, InfoChannel customers would also have the option of taking advantage of the other services in Flow's triple-play portfolio Watch and Talk.

However, Flow declined to answer questions as to whether staff at InfoChannel would be displaced by the acquisition. "Plans are already being executed to seamlessly complete the transition of InfoChannel customers to Flow over the next few months," it said.

Terrelonge, executive chairman of InfoChannel, was quoted in Flow's emailed responses as saying that "this transaction will offer existing InfoChannel and KASNET customers even faster Internet services over Flow's fibre-optic network, which is the most modern in the region".

He added: "the demand for Internet capacity is growing in Jamaica, and Flow's facilities will add greater value to the customer experience."

In a release on its website, InfoChannel said that under the agreement, "it is expected that most of our customers will receive expanded and faster service offerings from Flow without any significant increase in monthly rates".

business@gleanerjm.com