Rural community broadband specialist Voneus has expanded with the purchase of Cotswold Wireless for an undisclosed fee.
The deal is Voneus’ first acquisition since it raised more than £5m in growth funding in June. The London-based company expects the deal to increase its capacity to connect a further 3,000 homes and businesses.
Cotswold Wireless specialises in high-speed broadband for the Cotswolds, helping over 400 homes and businesses in the local region.
Expanding the Voneus network throughout Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Oxfordshire, the acquisition will connect more local families, enable remote-working and ensure enhanced access to education through heightened rural connectivity.
“Our mission is to rescue rural communities from the pain and indignity of slow broadband, without them having to wait years for Fibre,” said Voneus chief executive Steve Leighton.
“Buying Cotswold Wireless helps accelerate this. The important thing is increased access to communities and we want to make sure the ‘digital divide’ between urban and rural areas drastically decreases so people can go about their everyday lives interruption-free.”
Cotswold Wireless founder Tristram Charnley added: “Being part of the bigger Voneus network will give our existing customers access to new products, increased service benefits and other opportunities over time.”