Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc. today plans to announce its acquisition of Mipps Inc., which sells high-speed wireless Internet services in Toronto and the city's suburbs.
''It's not a huge deal but it provides some interesting opportunities, another way to reach customers besides telephone and cable,'' said Ted Chislett, Primus Canada president.
Mipps, founded in 1997, operates a fixed-wireless network, delivering loads of data at high speeds over a direct line of sight from a hub to a customer. Primus Canada has been offering wireless Internet on a small scale but wanted to expand so it bought Mipps, the price of which was not disclosed.
Fixed-wireless, still a niche business, is getting more attention. In late November, Toronto-based phone company Allstream Inc., Montreal-based wireless company Microcell Telecommunications Inc. and a private investment firm announced a $135-million deal to develop fixed-wireless next year.
Primus Canada, based in Toronto, has made several small acquisitions this year. It is owned by Primus Telecommunications Group Inc. of McLean, Va.