Cavalier Telephone is an American
Local Exchange Carrier (NRCLEC) company, owned by parent company
Windstream Communications
Windstream Holdings, Inc., also doing business as Windstream Communications or Windstream, is a provider of voice and data network communications (broadband, VoIP, MPLS), and managed services ( virtual servers, managed firewall, data storage, clou ...
operating in 16 states and
DC throughout the eastern US. Cavalier founded in 1998, is an internet and telecommunications service provider, currently it provides voice, data services to businesses, residential, and government customers on a private network.
Services
Telephone
Cavalier offers a number of different business telephone service plans for both local and long-distance calling. Rates vary based upon the number of optional features added to supplement basic telephone service. Residential services are provided, but the company does not accept new residential customers.
Internet
Cavalier offers high speed internet service through
digital subscriber lines.
In 2008, Cavalier announced that they were partnering with Google to offer a telephone and high speed internet subscription package called "C2". The package included unlimited local and long-distance calling, 12 calling features, and DSL internet for $50 per month. However, use of the term "partnering" may have been misleading, as Google had no direct role in the internet or telephone service provided through C2, but rather the service was supplemented by Google Aps - a service offered free to individuals by Google itself.
Television
Cavalier partnered with
DirecTV
DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American Multichannel television in the United States, multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California, El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary ...
in March 2009 and is offering discounted rates on satellite television service.
Acquisition
Acquired by PAETEC Holding Corp.
On September 13, 2010,
PAETEC Holding Corp.
PAETEC Holding Corporation was a Fortune 1000 telecommunications company headquartered in Perinton, New York, United States. It was founded as the private company PaeTec Communications, Inc. in 1998 by Arunas A. Chesonis. In 2007 it merged wit ...
of Perinton, New York, announced its acquisition of Cavalier Telephone for $460 million in cash. The merger was finalized in December, 2010, adding nearly 17,000 fiber-route miles to Paetec's existing service footprint. PAETEC was in turn, acquired by
Windstream Communications
Windstream Holdings, Inc., also doing business as Windstream Communications or Windstream, is a provider of voice and data network communications (broadband, VoIP, MPLS), and managed services ( virtual servers, managed firewall, data storage, clou ...
in December 2011.
End of new residential service
On December 7, 2011, Paetec announced that it would stop accepting new residential customers, and instead focus on its business customers. Approximately 70 Cavalier employees would lose their jobs because of this change. They will continue to service existing residential customers.
Relationship with Verizon
Cavalier has had a particularly rocky relationship with
Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas in ...
. In 2001, Cavalier brought a
lawsuit
-
A lawsuit is a proceeding by a party or parties against another in the civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. The term "lawsuit" is used in reference to a civil actio ...
against Verizon alleging
antitrust
Competition law is the field of law that promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. Competition law is implemented through public and private enforcement. It is also known as antitrust l ...
violations and violations of the
Telecom Act of 1996. The suit was dismissed by
United States District Court
The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district c ...
Judge James R. Spencer
James Randolph Spencer (born 1949) is a former United States district judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Early life and education
He was born in Florence, South Carolina in 1949 and attended Clark C ...
in March 2002. The dismissal was upheld on appeal in May 2003. In 2007, Cavalier sued Verizon in federal court again, alleging misuse of Virginia's 911
database
In computing, a database is an organized collection of data stored and accessed electronically. Small databases can be stored on a file system, while large databases are hosted on computer clusters or cloud storage. The design of databases spa ...
.
See also
*
List of United States telephone companies
This is a list of United States telephone companies.
Regional Bell Operating Companies
The Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) are the result of the break-up of the Bell System in 1984. After numerous mergers, asset sales, and renamings ...
References
External links
Cavalier Telephone official siteCavalier Telephone company profile on Monster.comCavalier Telephone company profile on Linkedin.comPaetec Holding Corp. official site
Companies based in Richmond, Virginia
Communications in Virginia
Telecommunications companies of the United States
Windstream Communications
American companies established in 1998
Telecommunications companies established in 1998
1998 establishments in Virginia
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