Telecommunications Acquisitions in Missouri

Gateway Fiber announced a merger with E‑Rate provider WANRack and consumer broadband provider KWIKOM, consolidating the three businesses to operate under the Gateway Fiber brand. WANRack's E‑Rate services will continue as “WANRack powered by Gateway Fiber” through the end of 2025 while the companies integrate to expand residential, business, enterprise, and education broadband offerings.

Segra and Unite Private Networks (UPN) have completed a planned brand merger and will operate under the Segra name, creating a larger fiber-focused connectivity provider. The combined company expands Segra's network and commercial technology solutions across the U.S.; Segra is a standalone fiber company owned by Cox Communications.

Rise Broadband has acquired MidAtlantic Broadband's Missouri fiber-to-the-home broadband business operating under the Yondoo Broadband brand, adding almost 10,000 residential and commercial locations across eight eastern Missouri markets. The deal expands Rise Broadband's footprint into Missouri and is supported by its PE backer GI Partners, which noted the transaction furthers the company's geographic expansion and network growth.

Cox Communications agreed to acquire the remaining ownership stake in Unite Private Networks (UPN) from Ridgemont Equity Partners, completing the deal in July 2023. UPN will be combined with Cox-owned Segra to form a new standalone commercial fiber company that expands Cox's fiber footprint and commercial services for enterprise, education and government customers.

i3 Broadband has completed the acquisition of Big River Broadband and its wholly owned subsidiary Circle Fiber, expanding i3's fiber-to-the-home footprint into southeast Missouri. The Peoria-area operator said the deal closed on May 31, 2023 and that it expects to invest an additional $100 million to grow the southeast Missouri market and expand gigabit services.

A fund sponsored by CBRE Investment Management has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Gateway Fiber, a Wright City, Missouri-based fiber-to-the-home provider, from Crosstimbers Capital Group. CBRE IM said the acquisition will expand its private infrastructure portfolio and enable integration with its middle-mile portfolio company WANRack to accelerate broadband deployment in underserved communities; the deal is expected to close in February 2023 pending regulatory approvals.

ADB Companies, LLC acquired the assets of KDC Wireless, Inc., adding KDC to ADB's Wireless Division to expand its Midwest (Kansas City) wireless construction and maintenance capabilities. The deal transfers ownership from KDC founders Dave and Kristin Campbell and supports ADB's buy-and-build strategy to grow its regional wireless presence.

Warren Equity Partners has acquired ADB Companies, a national provider of telecommunication and utility infrastructure services, from Keeley Companies. In partnership with Warren Equity, ADB completed its first add-on acquisition of ETAK Systems to expand maintenance, power and small-cell capabilities.

Congruex, the Crestview Partners‑backed telecom engineering and construction platform, has acquired True North Management Services, a St. Louis‑based regional wireless infrastructure services provider. The add‑on expands Congruex’s Midwest footprint and broadens its offerings into wireless small cell, tower construction, maintenance and emergency response services; financial terms were not disclosed.

Comlinkdata, a Boston-based telecom market analytics firm backed by Alpine Investors, has acquired ShareTracker, a U.S.-based telecom research and analytics company. The acquisition expands Comlinkdata's data and analytics capabilities to provide broader, real-time telecom insights to network operators, handset OEMs, and other industry customers.

Potter Electric Signal Company, LLC of St. Louis has acquired TowerIQ, a designer and manufacturer of wireless life-safety and emergency communication systems. The acquisition expands Potter's life-safety and emergency communications capabilities and will support TowerIQ's product development and growth efforts.

Great Plains Communications, a Grain Management portfolio company, has acquired InterCarrier Networks, a regional fiber-optic carrier headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The deal adds roughly 2,037 route miles of fiber across Illinois, Indiana, the St. Louis metro and Kentucky to Great Plains’ network; financial terms were not disclosed and the transaction closed in August 2019.