Story has been updated with additional information.
Content delivery company LinkUp Communications Corp. has acquired the majority of assets of Orbital Media Networks Inc.
“The acquisition includes the service agreements for a wide array of broadcast customers, including those who purchase space segment and other services from OMNi, and others who subscribe to the company’s XDS satellite and streaming platform,” LinkUp stated in the announcement.
“It does not include the Rocky Mountain News Network, nor OMNi’s two-way IP services.”
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Terms were not announced.
OMNi has its roots in what was once called Clear Channel Satellite Services. It was created about seven years ago when iHeartMedia got out of the backbone transport capacity business and sold it to entrepreneur Sam Dibrell Jr.
Mark Johnson, president of LinkUp, was quoted: “Our knowledge and skills complement each other. While OMNi offers the best in innovation and technology with their content distribution facility, LinkUp is known for its quality service, tailored solutions and positive working relationships with the industry’s top manufacturers.”
LinkUp Chairman Karen Johnson said OMNi customers will gain more design and installation services while LinkUp customers will have access to a distribution platform that offers both satellite and streaming.
“The two staffs combined are 18 individuals,” Johnson told Radio World. “There are no plans to make any staffing changes at this point. LinkUp staff has been extremely busy with C-band 5G field work this year and the Colorado staff have a very busy 24/7 NOC to maintain. Both teams complement each other in the application of serving the customer with content delivery services and satellite field services.”
Target client markets include secular and faith-based broadcasters, universities and colleges, sports distribution and businesses.
Orbital Media Networks offered broadcast programming delivery via C-Band, Ku-band and terrestrial, satellite-based IP networking and internet services.
LinkUp is based in Panama City, Fla. OMNi is in Englewood, Colo. LinkUp said it plans to integrate its customer support with the Network Operations Center in Englewood in a process that will take three to six months.
“Linkup has always supported customers who own their own uplink facilities, and Orbital’s Colorado NOC has always had a mix of NOC center services with the addition of remote customer uplinks,” Johnson said. “The Colorado staff will become the NOC facility for both customer bases, while the LinkUp field staff will have a larger customer base to serve in the field.”
Johnson said the LinkUp corporate office will remain in Florida while the NOC will remain 24/7/365 in Colorado.
