In a message to its customers dated Jan. 21, internet service provider Cambio Wi-fi said it will be moving its services out of Kent County. The message, signed by Steven J. Kirby Jr., president and founder of the company, says the move takes effect immediately.
On its website, Cambio describes itself as “the fastest, most reliable Advanced LTE Pro wireless broadband internet service on the Delmarva Peninsula utilizing high-speed fiber optics and state-of-the-art equipment.” The website states that Cambio had 1,500 customers in Kent County, with another 2,975 in Queen Anne’s and Caroline, and 263 listed as “pending.” According to Kirby’s message, only the Kent County customers will be affected by the move.
The message explains the decision to terminate service in Kent as follows: “We started experiencing issues with our backhaul (fiber) provider Atlantic Broadband who made changes to their network that would not work with the equipment we have on the towers. We tried to work with them, but they won’t change the network back to the original configuration so we can continue business. We signed contracts with them because they were the only fiber provider in the area at the time. If Kent County Fiber Optic Systems were in place in the beginning, we never would have had these issues and would have provided even better service than we did in the beginning.”
The message goes on to say that Cambio customers will not be billed for February services. It asks customers who still owe money through January to pay their bills because “we are not going out of business, we are operating in other Markets on Delmarva and other parts on the county where we have control over our own network and fiber.” It also notifies customers that Cambio will be scheduling removal of company equipment installed on their houses over the next week or two. Customers will be billed $500 if the equipment is not returned, the message said.
Cambio customers are advised to contact the company’s partners Bridgemaxx (844-303-5900) or Tidewater Wi-Fi (443-282-1176) for continued internet service. For fiber service, customers are asked to contact ThinkBig Networks (888-319-1372). Kirby’s message states that business accounts will be given priority.
Customers who need to get in touch with Cambio should email [email protected] for support and equipment return or [email protected] for account questions. Cambio’s Maryland office is now in Denton. The phone for the Denton office is listed as 410-779-9876. The company also maintains an office in New York City.
Cambio’s departure from Kent comes as a surprise. As recently as Nov. 6 last year, Cambio announced that it was partnering with Kent County Fiber Optic Systems to increase its capacity to provide internet services in Kent County. In 2015, Cambio reached an agreement with Kent County to use water towers to broadcast its wi-fi signal to homes and businesses at distances of 5 to 7 miles, with speeds up to 90 megabytes per second. Cambio’s presence in Kent was also notable for the company’s support of the three then-incumbent county commissioners in the 2018 election, announced on several billboards around the county. Of the three, only Ron Fithian won re-election.
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Gren Whitman says
After Cambio WiFi’s abrupt exit from Kent County, Spy readers may be interested in the timetable of this citizen’s complete failure to solve a Cambio mystery.
Since October 23 — the date I filed a complaint with the Kent County Ethics Commission regarding those three election-related billboards paid for by Cambio WiFi (aka “Three Billboards Outside Chestertown Maryland”) — a total of four gentlemen associated with Cambio refused to answer this question: Who is Cambio’s attorney in Kent County?
October 26, 2018: In an email to Chestertown attorney Andrew Meehan, I asked: “Are you counsel for both the Ethics Commission and Cambio WiFi?” Meehan responded by email, saying (1) yes, he had been counsel to Cambio in 2015 and (2) yes, he was at present counsel to the Kent County Ethics Commission, but (3) refused to respond further, stating that, “pursuant to the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, I am not at liberty to provide further comment.”
November 1: In a registered letter to Stephen J. Kirby Jr. (listed as Cambio’s resident agent at 115 S. Lynchburg Street in Chestertown), I requested: “Please give me the name and address of the attorney who is presently representing your company (Cambio WiFi) in Kent County MD.” The letter’s signed receipt mailed back to me indicated my letter had been delivered, but Kirby never responded to this question.
December 17: I spoke with Joseph Gillette, reportedly a corporate officer of Cambio WiFi in New York, at 646-723-9998. I asked him if Meehan was presently counsel to Cambio and if Meehan had been counsel to Cambio as of October 30. Gillette said he didn’t know and that he, or Kirby, would get back to me. Guess what? Nothing.
January 2, 2019: At 9:36 a.m., I again called 646-723-9998 to get the mailing address for Joseph Gillette, and left a message with a Michael Cerullo to that effect. Then, at 10:29 (possibly by coincidence, though I somehow doubt it), I received a call from someone identifying himself as Stephen Kirby. It was a very bad connection, but he was calling from 410-779-9876, which is Cambio’s number. Despite the bad connection and heavy static, I was able to make out Kirby saying, “You’re a nobody.” He further said, “Stop harassing me.” He concluded by saying, “Go f*** yourself.” And hung up. Such is life.
January 3: At 11:00 a.m., I left a phone message with Cerullo for Gillette at the 9998 number, asking for Gillette’s mailing address. At 11:26, Cerullo returned my call. He stated he is not with Cambio, but that he is partner with Gillette in Challenger Broadband. Cerullo said he knew nothing about Gillette’s association with Cambio. He refused to give me Gillette’s mailing address, but said he would forward my message and phone number to him. (It didn’t occur to me to mention to Cerullo that I had already had a conversation with Gillette at the 9998 number on December 17.) Guess what? Nada.
January 23: I learned that Cambio WiFi closed down in Kent County. End of story. Sayonara, suckers.