Houlihan Lokey Advises MTCO Communications

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that MTCO Communications (MTCO), a well-established telecommunications provider serving central Illinois markets, has agreed to be acquired by Metro Communications (Metro), a prominent residential and enterprise telecommunications provider across central Illinois. This strategic transaction expands Metro’s footprint across central Illinois and further strengthens its retail Conxxus brand while continuing MTCO’s mission of ensuring its customers stay connected to what matters most.

MTCO is a family-owned fiber and copper-based telecommunications provider that has been serving communities throughout central Illinois for over a century. Over the past decade, MTCO has overbuilt a majority of its ILEC footprint with fiber and expanded as a fiber-based CLEC. MTCO is an integral part of the local communities, providing residential internet, video, and voice services to about 10,000 customers through the MTCO’s DigiMax brand.

Metro is a regional internet and network services provider that builds and operates fiber optic networks serving the wireless, enterprise, wholesale, and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, Metro manages an all-fiber-optic network across Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. The portfolio’s telecom services are provided through the company’s fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) Conxxus business as well as its enterprise and wireless business. The Conxxus business includes multi-gigabit per second internet, voice, and video services to consumers and small-to-medium-sized businesses. The latter category’s services include transport, cellular backhaul, wavelengths, dedicated internet, private line, and dark services for business and carriers.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive financial advisor and assisted in marketing, structuring, and negotiating the transaction on behalf of MTCO. This transaction exemplifies the continued success of Houlihan Lokey’s dedicated coverage of the FTTH sector.

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