Founded 1996 | ||
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Subsidiaries DBCORP Information Systems Inc. | ||
Colbanet founded in 1996, is one of the larger independent Internet service providers in Quebec, offering Internet via ADSL 2+, ADSL, and Dialup. They also offer a few VoIP and long distance services via the Spectravoice brand, as well as IPTV.
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Network Coverage
Headquartered in Montreal, ColbaNet can provide ADSL broadband service to the vast majority of Quebec, using Bell-Canada's wholesale gateway access service. In Early 2007, ColbaNet launched their own ADSL2+ network which uses their own ADSL2+ servers in Bell telephone central offices downtown Montreal, in order to compete directly with Bell's "ADSL High Speed" gateway access wholesale service. Since thеn ColbaNet ADSL2+ network (up to 24 Mbit/s) has expanded to the surroundings.
History
ColbaNet began as a Dial-up ISP, providing mainly 33.6k and 56k access in the late 90s and early 2000s. They also, like many others ISP providers, offered email, web hosting, and co-location. As broadband became more popular, they began providing ADSL-service by using Bell's wholesale network, like many independent ISPs do today in Quebec. Using this system, the copper wires and central office equipment is entirely Bell-owned and operated. Later some independent ISPs like ColbaNet started run their own servers and supply their own transit links. As such, they are not resellers, they simply rent Bell central office path/line to reach a customer.
Enter-Net
ColbaNet acquired the Enter-Net brand through acquisition of a part of CGI group, which also was in the ADSL, dial-up, and web hosting, and consisted mainly of business customers. This allowed them to become one of the larger independent ISPs in Quebec, and along with the new ADSL2+ infrastructure. ColbaNet continued to sell products under the Enter-Net branding for a short time before merging the brand.
ColbaNet has absorbed a number of smaller ISPs, and has grown significantly by acquisition, but also investment in new infrastructure, as they were the first independent ISP to launch their own ADSL2+ network in 2007.