Switch and Data (Booth 508) last month completed the acquisition of Philadelphia, Penn.-based MeridianTelesis, a privately held company providing carrier neutral and network neutral colocation services for enterprises in the Internet-oriented, telecommunications and data storage markets.

The asset acquisition of this enterprise-centric colocation facility in Philadelphia provides Switch and Data with more than 30 new customers, making it the largest neutral colocation service provider in the Philadelphia area.

The MeridianTelesis facility, located in the Port of Technology Building on Market Street, is approximately 20,000 square feet. It includes biometric security measures, round-the-clock monitoring and security, N+1 redundant systems, and multilevel fire detection and suppression.

We believe this acquisition is going to be a great asset for Switch and Data," says Patricia Higgins, Switch and Datas president and CEO, and adds, MeridianTelesis has a similar business philosophy, strong commitment to customer service and a broad customer base, which blends well with Switch and Datas strategy to expand its client base and enhance its service offerings in the enterprise sector"

In other news from Switch and Data, Gene Lew was named vice president of engineering. Lew has about 20 years of engineering management experience in information technology, telecommunications, cable, Internet and multimedia technologies. Most recently, Lew served as CTO for Gemini Networks.