Ziply Fiber, the fastest national home internet service provider in the US, this week announced it will be acquired by Bell Canada Enterprises in a deal valued at CA$5 billion ($3.6 billion).
The acquisition is expected to close in the latter half of 2025. It will bring Canadian ISP Bell across the border into Ziply Fiber service areas in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
Mirko Bibic, CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, noted that the acquisition “marks a bold milestone in Bell’s history as we lean into our fiber expertise and expand our reach beyond our Canadian borders.”
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Ziply Fiber CEO Harold Zeitz also praised the deal, stating that it “enhances our growth strategy with the scale and experience of one of North America’s leading fiber operators.”
Since acquiring fiber and copper networks from Frontier Communications in the Pacific Northwest four years ago, Ziply Fiber has shown a commitment to fiber broadband expansion. The provider’s fiber footprint currently covers some 1.3 million homes, and it plans to more than double its coverage to 3 million over the next four years.
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BCE’s acquisition could provide significant support to those growth plans. Per a press release from Ziply Fiber, “Upon closing of the acquisition, Bell will be poised to expand its fiber footprint to over 12 million locations across North America by the end of 2028, reinforcing its position as the third-largest fiber internet provider in North America.”
It’s not clear yet what impact, if any, the acquisition will have on current or future Ziply Fiber subscribers. A Ziply Fiber spokesperson told CNET that "we believe this is great news for current and future customers. We’ll continue to operate as the Ziply Fiber brand as the best fiber provider in the Northwest. And with Bell’s partnership, we’ll be able to expand further and faster to more communities.”
We at CNET will keep you posted on any updates to Ziply Fiber’s fiber expansion and home internet plans as the acquisition date approaches.