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In July 1997, Callahan Associates, now Cable Partners,
formed its partnership in Spain with Cableuropa
SA, a local Spanish group, with the objective to pursue licences to develop and operate cable telephony
networks throughout the country. Cableuropa,
managed and operated by Callahan Associates, operates under the brand
name ONO and is the largest broadband service provider in Spain, based on the number of
franchise homes.
The group operates 12 franchise areas encompassing over
four million franchise homes and 300,000 businesses in Spain. Cableuropa
is constructing the cable infrastructure to bring direct access
telecommunications, cable television and high speed Internet access and
content, directly into homes and businesses via broadband fibre-optic cable networks.
Investment partners in Spain (Spaincom)
include GE Capital, Bank of America and Caisse
de Dépôt et placement du
Québec, holding 47.5 per cent of Cableuropa.
Other Cableuropa shareholders include BSCH
(19.9%), Spain's primary financial
institution, Ferrovial (10%), one of Spain's largest construction
companies, Multitel (10%), and Val
Telecommunications, local telecom investment groups.
In June 1998, ONO became the country's first
alternative operator to provide local telephony in competition with Telefonica and when the company carried the first
telephone calls from the city of Valencia. In September 1998, the
company announced the launch of full-scale telephony operations in its
franchises. ONO announced the introduction of its broadband, high-speed
Internet service in November 1999. The company is now deploying
sophisticated cable infrastructure within its franchises to bring the widest
possible range of entertainment and communications services to customers.
In addition to its operations within its franchise
area, ONO holds telecommunications licenses for the provinces of Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona.
Cable Partners CEO, Richard Callahan, remains an advisor to the board of
ONO.
Link to
ONO website
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