M&A Strikes Again as Telarus Announces Another Acquisition

Telarus on Wednesday announced its second acquisition of 2021.

The Utah-based firm is buying Virginia-based Comtel Communications. Comtel sells telecom and technology solutions through an agent base that executives describe as “very loyal.”

Telarus’ Adam Edwards

“We’re thrilled to have the Comtel Communications team join Telarus. Comtel partners joined and stayed with Comtel because of the high integrity and support standards set by Ben and Amy Humphreys,’ Telarus CEO Adam Edwards said. “We look forward to carrying that legacy into the future.”

President and CEO Ben Humphreys and director of business development Amy Humphreys are leaving Comtel for a new venture. They’ll move over to the supplier side and work full-time at Simplicity VoIP.

Factors

Ben Humphreys said he was looking for a buyer with the support structure and scale needed to protect Comtel’s agents.

“Ultimately, we needed to partner with a leader for sales, contracts, commissions and resources. Telarus is leading the industry in monthly sales, which gives them an incredible advantage,” Humphreys said. “I was particularly impressed by Telarus’ ethics code, which made this decision much easier.”

Telarus will provide a senior partner development manager, an inside sales team and cable support managers to serve Comtel agents.

Simplicity VoIP’s Ben Humphreys

“This team will grow to the next level through various strategies soon. I hope all the Comtel Communications subagents take advantage of these resources and drive forward with success,” said Humphreys. “The resources Telarus brings to the table are incredible. But, most importantly, they will act as a fiduciary for subagents and ensure payments and commissions are accurate and timely.”

Ben Humphreys said he has taken on the role of a fiduciary during his 30-year run at Comtel.

“Yes, we run a business, but the business is to take care of ourselves and our partners. You never would find me looking at this as my business. When you have partners and subagents that are going through you to get carrier agreements, you really do fulfill a fiduciary role,” he told Channel Futures.

Telarus in December announced a growth investment from Columbia Capital. The company also earlier this year announced the acquisition of Philadelphia-based Chorus Communications.

Background

Ben Humphreys founded Comtel in 1991. The firm now partners with more than 350 suppliers. It holds premier elite status in the CenturyLink Channel Alliance Program and platinum status in the Verizon Partner Program.

The company holds relationships with roughly 100 subagents, with approximately one-quarter of those agents producing most of its sales.

Simplicity VoIP’s Amy Humphreys

Both Amy and Ben Humphreys have a strong relationship with the Alliance Partners (otherwise known as the Agent Alliance). Ben was a founding member, and Amy served as the vice president of the Alliance Partners from 2013-2016.

Comtel in 2012 started a VoIP resale group named Simplicity VoIP that sold CoreDial. Simplicity in 2018 bought its own switches from NetSapiens and later started work on upgrading its network. Now its founders are committing all of their time to delivering a UCaaS experience. Ben Humphreys will work as Simplicity’s president and CEO, and Amy will be vice president of marketing and agent enablement.