FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2008
FIDELITY COMMUNICATIONS ACQUIRES LAWTON CABLEVISION INC.
Missouri-based Fidelity Communications is acquiring the Lawton, Oklahoma, cable TV system. Fidelity will begin offering services here July 1.
Fidelity—a family-owned phone, Internet and TV provider based in Sullivan, Missouri—is buying the system from Lawton Cablevision, a locally-owned business that’s had the local cable franchise since 1968.
“We’re excited to be acquiring an established, up-to-date system in a large market with tremendous potential,” said Fidelity Senior Vice President John Colbert. “With both businesses being privately-owned and customer-oriented, the transition will be almost transparent to local subscribers.”
Lawton Cablevision manager Bill Drewry agreed. “There are many similarities between the two companies. We worked very hard to find the right buyer, one with customer service and satisfaction as a priority,” he said. “Fidelity is a fine company with a proven track record in the cable business.”
Lawton Cablevision undertook a major rebuild of its system from 2000 to 2002, upgrading to an 870-megahertz plant that now has about 20,000 cable TV subscribers, 4,000 broadband customers and 500 phone customers. The company currently has around 70 employees, most all of whom will become Fidelity employees.
Subscribers are now served by a single head-end fiber-rich broadband network. Lawton currently offers analog and digital video, including HDTV and DVR service, and high-speed cable modem Internet. Fidelity will continue to offer and in some cases upgrade those services, officials said.
Penetration of homes passed last fall was 53 percent in cable TV, 13 percent in digital and 12 percent in cable modem Internet. HD and VoIP penetration is 5 percent and 2 percent respectively.
“Fidelity will concentrate on growing our digital and high-speed services,” said Fidelity Marketing Director Robert Trottmann. Fidelity plans to step up the marketing of packages in particular, expanding the base of digital TV and Internet customers.
Lawton has a 15-year franchise agreement ending in February, 2015. Like Fidelity, Lawton Cablevision has earned an excellent reputation in the community with city officials and subscribers, Trottmann noted. There are no other cable franchisees or pending requests for franchises.
The rebuilt network is hybrid fiber-coax with about 473 strand miles of plant, passing an estimated 36,280 homes, an average of 77 homes per mile. The rebuild also included new amplifiers and fiber nodes.
Fidelity Communications is a holding company based in Sullivan, Missouri, for 13 subsidiary companies: Fidelity Telephone Co., Fidelity Long Distance, Fidelity Networks, Fidelity Cablevision, Fidelity Systems Plus, Fidelity Broadcasting, Fidelity Energy Resources, Fidelity Communications International, Cellutel, Fidelity Communication Services I, II and III, and Fidelity Solutions, Inc.
Fidelity Cablevision provides service in Sullivan, Rolla, Salem and Lebanon, Missouri, and is now launching video service in New Haven, Gerald and Owensville, Missouri. It’s been the provider in Rolla since 1991 and in Sullivan since 1999.
Fidelity Communications Company is privately held by the John T. Davis family and employs over 200 people.
For more information, contact:
Craig Montgomery
Public Relations Manager
Fidelity Communications
craig.montgomery@fidelitycommunications.com
ph : 573-468-1294
fax: 573-468-7986