Business
Business Digest
01:00 AM EST on Friday, January 26, 2007
Towerstream, a Middletown-based fixed wireless Internet provider, said yesterday the company’s common stock will begin trading today on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol TWER. The company, cofounded by Jeff Thompson, president and chief executive officer, and Philip Urso, chairman, has 37 employees and plans to expand. “This is a very important milestone for Towerstream. We have a tremendous opportunity to grow our WiMAX solutions [an Internet product] and the entry into the public markets provides us the financing necessary to continue our growth and execute our strategy to be a leader in our space,” said Thompson. “We look forward to growing our sales force, building into new markets and expanding our product offerings to better serve small, medium and enterprise businesses looking for an alternative to traditional landline bandwidth solutions.” Towerstream said it was founded in 2000 and sells its services in various metropolitan markets.
Unions representing Verizon workers said they oppose the company’s plans to sell 1.6 million local access lines in Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire to FairPoint, a North Carolina telecommunication company. They charge that Verizon is enriching its coffers while limiting broadband service to rural areas. “This proposal is an insult to New Englanders because it means they will be served by a much smaller company that has fewer resources to expand Internet access,” said Edwin D. Hill, president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Blackstone Caterers has been named exclusive caterer to Conley’s Wharf Function and Conference Center at Providence Piers, 180-220 Allens Ave., developed by Patrick and Gail Conley. Blackstone Caterers was founded in 1945 in Pawtucket and is now based in Newport. Providence Piers is on an 11-acre site with easy access from Interstates 95 and 195. The project was built to create a mixed-use waterfront community featuring artists’ studios, a marina, hotel, parking garage, two residential condominium towers and a public park.
Advance Auto Parts Inc. is opening its first 7,000-square-foot store in West Warwick at 251 Legris Ave. Randy Nocks, the store’s manager, will work with nine other employees. Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts is the second-largest retailer of automotive parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items in the United States and operates 3,029 stores in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Other area stores are at 884 Tiogue Ave., Coventry; 1280 Warwick Ave., Warwick; 361 Reservoir Ave. and 550 Hartford Ave., Providence; 10 Putnam Pike, Johnston; and 325 Taunton Ave., East Providence.
GVA Talent Agency of Los Angeles has opened an affiliate office, GVA-Boston, in Cambridge, Mass., that seeks to bring more films to the New England area. Among GVA Talent Agency’s clientele is casting director Robyn Owen of Robyn Owen Casting, also of Los Angeles. Owen also is opening a casting office in Boston and will offer intensive acting workshops to actors and actresses in the region. GVA-Boston is a new venture established by entertainment industry leader Geneva Bray, the founder of Hollywood’s GVA Talent Agency. “GVA-Boston endeavors to help bring more films to New England. This region is brimming with talent – from young children to recent theater graduates to middle-aged aspiring actors who dream of making it in the industry. More filmmaking in New England will stimulate economic activity and will also add worldwide recognition that the region is a wonderful place to live, work and play. If we can bring more of film production to New England and vice versa, everyone will be winners,” said Bray. Robyn Owen Casting will also be a liaison between L.A.-based directors and producers who want to cast in the New England area. As an independent casting director, Owen will be able to do principal casting for LA-based films and television shows, as well as cast film and television programs produced in New England.
WiBlast Communications LLC, a local wireless Internet service provider and system integrator, will provide secure mobile broadband access to Nantucket Police Department cruisers when they are within WiBlast Broadband’s coverage area on the island. WiBlast is rapidly expanding its areas of service coverage to enable cruisers access to secure police databases that were previously restricted to use in the police station. It will also allow officers to send reports from their cars to the station, eliminating the need to leave their assigned routes. WiBlast is outfitting the police department’s command vehicle, which will be positioned strategically and remain stationary during emergencies with a router and a radio antenna on a telescopic mast to ensure connection everywhere on Nantucket. In addition, police officers and other public safety personnel will be equipped with handheld devices and routers in their vehicles for connection around the command vehicle, allowing them to connect to the Internet at broadband speeds and access critical data needed for an emergency situation. WiBlast has been providing broadband wireless Internet service on Nantucket for three years. What started as a downtown wi-fi HotZone now reaches areas of the island where only dialup Internet service was available.
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