June 12, 2004

Tech Denver - Evergreen's WisperTel Acquires Quicksilver


By: Adam Cole

Evergreen-based Wisper Telecommunications Inc. tapped into a major growth access point as it successfully acquired Quicksilver Connect Inc. last week.

“I think it’s a win-win, for both Quicksilver subscribers and us,” said WisperTel president/CEO Barry Pier. “The acquisition allowed us to enhance our coverage and increase our subscriber base.”

The deal gives a somewhat substantial spike to WisperTel’s subscriber base, adding roughly one-third more than it had and pushing Pier’s one-time startup close to 2,000 subscribers. WisperTel is now the largest wireless Internet service provider (WISP) in the Denver-metro area.

WisperTel also gains a foothold in the Idaho Springs and Georgetown market as well as some parts of southwest Denver while also being able to better cover its existing service area, which includes most of the communities west of Wadsworth Blvd. on past Bailey to Shawnee, north to Golden and Arvada, and south to Ken Caryl, Morrison, Conifer and Pine.

“The acquisition allows us to expand slightly and get to some of the nooks and crannies that we were missing,” said Pier.

Quicksilver Connect Inc. subscribers now receive a service from a more capable network and thus faster Internet, plus the opportunity for value-added services such as Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP), which WisperTel is just rolling out now. As for Internet service, Quicksilver used network frame T-1s that were only capable of 1.5 Mbps service. Because of the strength of WisperTel’s backbone and bandwidth capabilities it is able to offer the community 8 Mbps.

“This made sense. Our subscribers will be able to benefit from the better bandwidth,” said Quicksilver President Scott Schreiber.

Pier began WisperTel on Halloween 2001, the date when the Company was incorporated. This twenty year veteran put it all on the line then to build a true carrier-class network. It’s been a challenge, as any entrepreneur will tell you, but Pier recorded his first millennium of subscribers nearly three months ago. Now, he’s soon about to double that. Pier adds, “At times, it’s been a scary ride.”

WisperTel is no doubt growing and getting more business acquisition offers because of it. Pier says that the WISP suitors come calling about twice a month. He’s keeping his ears open, but only jumping at the ones that make most sense. This broadband maven isn’t about to create connectivity for communities way beyond his current service area, but instead seeks to expand in “blob” or contiguous fashion.

“We’ve learned to scale our business,” said Pier. “Some companies get 200 subscribers and don’t know how to go to the next level. We understand that as we grow and become bigger, we become more efficient and have the resources to do more things for our subscribers.”