Maine-based telecom is bought by Idaho company

UNITY, Maine (AP) — Unity telecommunications company UniTel has been sold to an Idaho-based broadband provider that plans to rapidly expand fiber internet service.

Direct Communications of Rockland has found a niche providing high-speed internet in small rural areas.

“That is our goal — to be able to gap that digital divide between rural and urban areas,” Kalee Ralphs, the marketing manager for Direct Communications, told the Bangor Daily News.

UniTel currently offers fiber internet to home users, and Direct Communications intends to build on what already exists in order to bring speedy internet access to as many people as possible.

Currently, UniTel is an internet service provider for Unity, Albion, Knox, Thorndike and surrounding towns.