Integra Telecom
Encyclopedia
Integra Telecom is a privately owned, facilities-based, integrated telecommunications carrier and communications equipment provider headquartered in Portland, Oregon
, United States. Founded in 1996, the company is one of the largest competitive local exchange carrier
s (CLEC) in the United States and provides services to eleven states, all in the west. As of 2009, Dudley Slater was the chief executive officer
of Integra and the company had annual revenues of $683 million, with about 2,300 employees company-wide.
) and businesses in the AmberGlen Business Park, a nearby office park. By the year 2000 Integra had grown to annual revenues of $42 million, and grown to around $150 million in 2005. Integra Telecom doubled in size through the acquisition of Electric Lightwave (ELI) from Citizens Communications (later renamed Frontier Communications) in 2006, and in 2007 acquired Eschelon Telecom
, which again doubled the size of the company. ELI was purchased for $243 million in cash as well as an assumption of $4 million in debt in a deal that closed on August 1, 2006. The Eschelon purchase was for $566 million in cash and $144 million in assumed debt.
As of 2007, Integra had 1,100 employees and annual revenues of $340 million before their purchase of Eschelon. That year they moved part of their operations into the 20-story Lloyd Center Tower
in Portland's Lloyd District
on the city's eastside. This is near their headquarters at the 1201 Lloyd Building. By 2009 the company had grown to annual revenues of more than $680 million and employed more than 550 people at their headquarters and 2,300 people across the company. In 2009, the company brought in new investors to reduce its debt load by approximately $600 million. Integra accumulated much of the debt due to its earlier acquisitions, and faced the possibility of bankruptcy due to breaching covenants in its loan agreements.
In contrast to companies that simply resell services from the monopoly Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC), Integra Telecom owns and operates an extensive fiber optic network offering local dial tone, domestic and international long distance, broadband internet, MPLS-enabled IP VPN and private line service, voice messaging, and numerous ancillary services and business phone systems, designed to support the communication needs of businesses. The company serves over 200 communities within the metropolitan areas of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Washington. Integra Telecom provides services to businesses, but does not currently provide services to residences.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States. Founded in 1996, the company is one of the largest competitive local exchange carrier
Competitive local exchange carrier
A competitive local exchange carrier , in the United States, is a telecommunications provider company competing with other, already established carriers ....
s (CLEC) in the United States and provides services to eleven states, all in the west. As of 2009, Dudley Slater was the chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Integra and the company had annual revenues of $683 million, with about 2,300 employees company-wide.
History
The company was founded in 1996 through the acquisition of OGI Telecomm, a shared tenant provider formed in 1984 to provide voice and data services to the Oregon Graduate Institute (then based in unincorporated Washington CountyWashington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
) and businesses in the AmberGlen Business Park, a nearby office park. By the year 2000 Integra had grown to annual revenues of $42 million, and grown to around $150 million in 2005. Integra Telecom doubled in size through the acquisition of Electric Lightwave (ELI) from Citizens Communications (later renamed Frontier Communications) in 2006, and in 2007 acquired Eschelon Telecom
Eschelon Telecom
Eschelon Telecom was founded in 1996 by its Chairman, Cliff Williams, as Advanced Telecommunications, Inc., a holding company for telecommunications businesses...
, which again doubled the size of the company. ELI was purchased for $243 million in cash as well as an assumption of $4 million in debt in a deal that closed on August 1, 2006. The Eschelon purchase was for $566 million in cash and $144 million in assumed debt.
As of 2007, Integra had 1,100 employees and annual revenues of $340 million before their purchase of Eschelon. That year they moved part of their operations into the 20-story Lloyd Center Tower
Lloyd Center Tower
The Lloyd Center Tower is an 88 meter tall office tower in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon. At 20 stories, it is the tallest building in Oregon outside of downtown Portland....
in Portland's Lloyd District
Lloyd District, Portland, Oregon
The Lloyd District is a primarily commercial neighborhood in the North and Northeast sections of Portland, Oregon. It is named after Ralph Lloyd , a California rancher, oilman, and real estate developer who moved to and started the development of the area.The Lloyd District is bounded by the...
on the city's eastside. This is near their headquarters at the 1201 Lloyd Building. By 2009 the company had grown to annual revenues of more than $680 million and employed more than 550 people at their headquarters and 2,300 people across the company. In 2009, the company brought in new investors to reduce its debt load by approximately $600 million. Integra accumulated much of the debt due to its earlier acquisitions, and faced the possibility of bankruptcy due to breaching covenants in its loan agreements.
Services
Electric Lightwave
Electric Lightwave now represents Integra’s carrier wholesale business unit. Relying on the fiber network built by Electric Lightwave, and purchased by Integra, the 4,700-mile long-haul and data network and many metro fiber networks. Electric Lightwave provides communications network services including transport, internet access and voice services to nationally known telecom providers.External links
- Integra makes milestone - Portland Business Journal