Houston’s EnTouch joins trio of regional providers
EnTouch Systems, a small Houston-based cable TV and internet provider, joins a trio of cable companies including San Marcobased Grande Communications, in a deal for an undisclosed sum.
The deal, announced in March and that closed Friday, brings EnTouch’s 22,000 mostly Houstonarea customers into the fold with Grande, RCN and Wave Broadband, which serve different regions in the United States. All told, the companies have more than a million customers, and claim to be the sixthlargest U.S. cable operation.
EnTouch serves Cypress, Katy, Missouri City,
Spring and Sugar Land in the Houston area with cable TV, broadband internet, voice and home-security products. Founded in 1996, it provides residential and business services and has about 100 employees.
EnTouch will keep its name and will operate as part of Grande, said a spokeswoman, adding that its network will be upgraded and expanded. Steve Luxton, EnTouch’s CEO, will remain in Houston and join the Grande leadership team.
Grande’s service area includes Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Midland/ Odessa, San Antonio, San Marcos, Temple and Waco.
RCN has customers in the northeastern U.S. and Chicago, while Wave
Broadband serves parts of Northern California, Oregon and Washington.
“Since the combination of RCN, Grande and Wave, our company has seen tremendous growth,” Jim Holanda, CEO of the three companies, said in a statement. “The addition of EnTouch is a natural next step, expanding our fiber rich network by 1,400 miles and adding 22,000 residential and business customers in the largest city in Texas.”
The companies are managed by Patriot Media Consulting and owned by TPG, a private equity firm.