By Charlene O'Hanlon

Managed communications and network services provider Appia Communications has acquired Connect Communications, paving the way for its entry to the multi-tenant business communications space.

Connect Communications, a multi-tenant business telecom provider providing telephone and Internet service, has a presence in more than 70 buildings totaling more than 2.5 million square feet in the Indianapolis area. With the acquisition, Connects customers now also can utilize Appias managed services, which include ISDN PRI, hosted and SIP trunking-based voice over IP, private networking via MPLS, Internet access and video conferencing.

The experience Connect has enables us to expand our network to office buildings and complexes, which of course represent high concentrations of potential customers and therefore is an efficient way to use our network resources,” said Matt Siemens, vice president of Marketing at Appia Communications.

Appia, based in Traverse City, Mich., has about 400 channel partners, while Connect has a handful,” Siemens said. The current Appia channel will now have new services to sell with competitive advantage in terms of price and capability to a new set of customers, and both channels will act as a single unit almost immediately, he noted.

Ed Forester, former president of Connect Communications, will now become director of Tenant Services at Appia. All of Connects current staff will remain, the companies noted.

This is a great fit. It expands our market reach and gives us entry into the multi-tenant market,” said Victor von Schlegell, president of Appia Communications in a statement. This acquisition adds 25 years of multi-tenant telecom experience to Appia. This experience is essential for us to enter the multi-tenant market across the country.”