BendBroadband says it's exploring options for future
Published: August 27. 2008 4:00AM PST
Officials at BendBroadband are acknowledging the company is exploring options with regard to its future but say there are currently no purchase offers.
In a posting on the Bend blog www.utterlyboring .com, the company’s vice president of operations, John Farwell, wrote, “The company is exploring options. There has been no sale and there is no offer on the table.”
Farwell, who confirmed he authored the posting, also said, “This is a normal business practice, also as stated in the press release. There is no further information to report at this time.”
The press release, e-mailed to The Bulletin by company CEO Amy Tykeson, read: “BendBroadband is reviewing its position in the market and evaluating its place in the broader national cable, wireless and telecommunications environment. We are mindful of our history as a successful family business that is focused on its employees, its customers and the communities we serve. The company is considering various scenarios, which include continuing as a family business. There is no proposal under consideration at this time that would change BendBroadband’s current ownership.”
“As BendBroadband surveys the market and considers its future, it plans to continue communicating with its employees. In the meantime, we recognize that our customers are counting on us and that we have aggressive company goals to achieve. Our central focus continues to be the operation of our business.”
Tykeson and Farwell declined further comment.
Bend Cable Communications Inc., which does business as BendBroadband, is privately held. The company was originally founded in 1955 as Bend TV Cable and then purchased in 1983 by Donald Tykeson, according to a company history. Amy Tykeson has been CEO of the company since 1997.
The company offers television, Internet and phone service in Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Terrebonne and Black Butte Ranch, partly through nonexclusive franchise agreements with the cities of Bend, Redmond and Sisters. In addition, the company paid $6.75 million in February for a portion of the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auctioned off by the Federal Communications Commission.
The company has roughly 38,000 cable television subscribers and last reported in March that it had 28,000 Internet customers.
It also reported 200 employees in March.
Andrew Moore can be reached at 541-617-7820 or at amoore@bendbulletin.com.
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