U.S. investment firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners completed its acquisition of Canadian rural broadband provider Xplornet in 2020. Xplornet confirmed on February 27, 2020, that it had signed an agreement with Stonepeak; the roughly US$2 billion value was reported at the time, and Paul, Weiss later described the completed sale as having a US$2 billion enterprise value.
Who bought Xplornet?
Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, a U.S. investment firm, agreed to acquire Xplornet. MobileSyrup reported the proposed deal on February 25, 2020, citing Bloomberg. Two days later, Xplornet confirmed it had signed an acquisition agreement with Stonepeak. MobileSyrup’s report also said Xplornet chairman Steve Weed and his fund, WaveDivision Capital, would remain investors.
Was Xplornet bought for US$2 billion?
The figure was not disclosed by the parties when Xplornet confirmed signing the agreement. MobileSyrup attributed the roughly US$2 billion figure, including debt, to Bloomberg. That is a reported transaction value, not a disclosed cash amount paid to shareholders.
In June 2020, transaction counsel Paul, Weiss said it had advised Sandler Capital Management on the sale of its portfolio company Xplornet to Stonepeak and described the completed transaction as having a US$2 billion enterprise value. Paul, Weiss’s announcement provides the later confirmation of the deal’s completion and value basis.
#1 Best Overall
- ⚠️ CABLE INTERNET ONLY - NOT COMPATIBLE WITH: Fiber (Verizon FiOS, AT&T), DSL, Satellite, or Fixed Wireless. ONLY works with cable providers like Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox. Verify your internet type BEFORE purchase.
- 🚫 NO WiFi INCLUDED - ROUTER REQUIRED: This is a modem ONLY. You MUST buy a separate WiFi router to get wireless internet. Without a router, only ONE device can connect via Ethernet cable. This does NOT replace your current WiFi router.
- 🔌 CABLE INTERNET REQUIRED: Works EXCLUSIVELY with cable internet service (DOCSIS) from providers like Xfinity, Spectrum, or Cox. Will NOT work with fiber (Verizon FiOS, AT&T), DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless internet. Contact your ISP to confirm compatibility BEFORE purchasing.
- 🚀 MULTI-GIG PERFORMANCE: Supports internet plans up to 2.5 Gbps with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. Designed for plans 1 Gbps and faster from certified providers: Xfinity (up to 2.33 Gbps), Spectrum (1 Gbps), Cox (2 Gbps). Verify your plan speed and provider compatibility.
- 💡 SETUP REQUIREMENTS: You need: (1) Cable internet service, (2) Separate WiFi router with 2.5 Gbps port for full speeds, (3) ISP activation. This modem cannot create WiFi networks or connect multiple devices without additional equipment.
What Xplornet did
Xplornet provided broadband service to rural and remote communities in Canada. Contemporaneous coverage described its network as combining fibre, fixed wireless and satellite infrastructure. The Globe and Mail report reproduced by Canada News Media and Telecompaper’s February 28, 2020, coverage likewise reported the acquisition agreement without financial terms disclosed by the parties at the time.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- ⚠️ MODEM ONLY - NO WiFi INCLUDED: This is a cable modem ONLY and does NOT provide WiFi. You MUST connect it to a separate WiFi router or mesh system to get wireless internet. Without a router, you can only connect ONE device via Ethernet cable.
- 🔌 CABLE INTERNET REQUIRED: Works EXCLUSIVELY with cable internet service (DOCSIS) from providers like Xfinity, Spectrum, or Cox. Will NOT work with fiber (Verizon FiOS, AT&T), DSL, satellite, or fixed wireless internet. Contact your ISP to confirm compatibility BEFORE purchasing.
- 🚀 MULTI-GIG PERFORMANCE: Supports internet plans up to 2.5 Gbps with 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port. Designed for plans 1 Gbps and faster from certified providers: Xfinity (up to 2.33 Gbps), Spectrum (1 Gbps), Cox (2 Gbps). Verify your plan speed and provider compatibility.
- 💡 SETUP REQUIREMENTS: You need: (1) Cable internet service, (2) Separate WiFi router with 2.5 Gbps port for full speeds, (3) ISP activation. This modem cannot create WiFi networks or connect multiple devices without additional equipment.
- 🎮 GAMING & STREAMING OPTIMIZED: DOCSIS 3.1 technology with low latency for smooth 4K streaming, gaming, and video calls. Backward compatible with DOCSIS 3.0 networks.
Rank #4
- Carrier: This device is from At&t and will only work with GSM carriers like At&t
- FAST 4G LTE BROADBAND SPEED: The AC797-100NAS mobile hotspot router reliably delivers up to 400 Mbps download speed.
- CONNECTED & PROTECTED ANYWHERE: Create your own secure WLAN when traveling for business or on holiday, when outdoors, or to replace your home DSL coverage.
- STAY PRODUCTIVE: Connect multiple devices for your own Wi-Fi internet access.
- LONG BATTERY LIFE: 2930 mAh rechargeable battery powers up to 11hrs use.
Rank #3
- input voltage：100 -240V
- DUAL-BAND DUAL-CONCURRENT WI-FI Stream DIRECTV,2 music, or live gaming from up to 20 connected devices.
- SECURE ACCESS Get peace of mind with secure Wi-Fi access, content filtering, device blocking, and scheduler.
- DATA OFFLOADING Save on data plan usage by offloading to existing Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- 24-HOUR BATTERY LIFE With the long-lasting 5040 mAh battery, you can power through your day and night.3
Rank #2
- Top Internet Speeds for all Multi-gigabit Speed Tiers – Recommended for Gigabit Internet plans. Built-in DOCSIS 3.1 and DOCSIS 3.0 32x8 capabilities give top Internet speeds for all major cable internet services.
- Faster Speeds without the rental fees - Eliminate up to 168 dollars per year in cable modem rental. Approved by Comcast Xfinity and Xfinity X1, Cox, and CableOne for all speeds including Comcast Gigabit services and Cox Gigablast. No cable modem is compatible with fiber optic, DSL, or satellite services, available from Verizon, AT&T, CenturyLink, Frontier, and others.)
- Flexible Compatibility - Pair with any Wi-Fi router you’d like, including Whole Home Wi-Fi or Mesh routers. A 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet port allows connection of any SINGLE device with an Ethernet port including a router, Windows or Mac computer, HDTV, or game station. This cable modem does not have a built-in wireless router or telephone call capability.
- Proactive Network Security - Advanced security from denial-of service attacks.
- Active Queue Management (AQM) - AQM significantly reduces Internet latency on both DOCSIS 3.1 and 3.0 services, resulting in faster page loads for all Web traffic and enhanced interactive applications like online gaming and video conferencing. The MB8600 also includes a full-band capture digital tuner to enhance speed and save energy.
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