Hargray Communications announced an agreement to acquire Hawkinsville, GA-based ComSouth, an integrated telecommunications company serving the cities of Hawkinsville, Perry, Fort Valley, Cochran, Unadilla, Pinehurst, Marshallville, Kathleen, Bonaire and Warner Robins. The transaction, which is expected to close during the second quarter of this year, will add additional residential and commercial customers to Hargray’s expanding network in Georgia.

“On behalf of our more than 475 Hargray colleagues, we are pleased to announce our agreement to acquire ComSouth and the resulting expansion of our already growing presence in Georgia. We look forward to building upon the great communications network constructed by the Jennings family over the last 105 years,” said Hargray Chairman & CEO, Michael Gottdenker.

David Armistead, Senior Vice President of Hargray Communications, noted that, “Like Hargray, ComSouth enjoys an excellent reputation in the communities it serves as is evidenced by its tagline, ‘Neighbors Serving Neighbors’. We look forward to the opportunity to join, serve, and engage with ComSouth’s local residents and businesses. We intend to invest heavily in ComSouth’s network to deliver the same high quality suite of residential and commercial services and customer support that we are known for in South Carolina and Georgia.”

W. Mansfield Jennings III, Chairman of the Board for ComSouth, added, “My family has owned and operated ComSouth since it was founded by my great-grandfather in 1913. Speaking on behalf of the Jennings family and ComSouth employees, we have worked very hard to establish a legacy as a forward-looking organization dedicated to providing the latest technology to the communities we serve.

As we look toward the future of communications and entertainment services, it is our belief that Hargray’s larger scale and unique combination of technological expertise and community focus makes them the best possible choice to provide advanced telecommunications services to our communities while maintaining the personal touch that our customers value. During my career with ComSouth, I have always admired and respected Hargray. As we move forward to the conclusion of this transaction, I will do all I can to ensure this acquisition is a success for Hargray, ComSouth, and for our local communities.”

Over the next year, Hargray will dedicate additional financial resources to grow ComSouth’s network to provide next-generation products and services to its residential customers like 1 Gbps High Speed Internet, Stellar TV (an enhanced television experience), access to a prime selection of programs on-the-go with an expanded TV Everywhere streaming content, and telephone service featuring nationwide local calling and additional calling features. Commercial customers will enjoy enhanced data, voice, and video services including hosted IP/PBX and VoIP service, Metro-Ethernet and Symmetrical Internet, and video services customized for various commercial applications.