AFL Expands Market Reach and Capabilities with North Star Acquisition

27/06/2008

Spartanburg, SC - AFL is expanding its telecommunications services business with the acquisition of the assets and related business of North Star Communications Group, Inc. (North Star), currently headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. The acquisition not only develops AFL’s footprint into Alabama, Mississippi, California, and Nevada, but also enhances its service offering with North Star’s expertise in outside plant engineering.

“North Star complements our existing business very well,” said Mike Booth, Executive Vice President of AFL. “Their skills in outside plant engineering and wireless services, together with the enhanced footprint, provide the capability for us to continue growing. Furthermore, we both share a strong commitment to quality and service.”

With a combined 30 years of industry experience, AFL continues to provide exceptional network engineering and installation services in all communication markets including access, enterprise, wireless and electric utility. With AFL’s addition of North Star’s full scope of capabilities including engineering, network operations and maintenance, construction management, cable broadband and wireless, and expertise in outside plant distribution design, and route feasibility studies, AFL has a complete array of experienced professionals along with products and services designed to meet unique networking needs.

From design and consulting to installation and support, AFL utilizes the latest technologies available to create the most reliable and flexible network. For additional information on AFL, visit www.AFLglobal.com. For additional information on North Star Communications Group, Inc., visit www.NorthStar.net.

About AFL
AFL is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina. With 35 field offices in the U.S. and over 1300 employees, AFL provides telecommunications installation and maintenance services in the enterprise, wireline and wireless markets. For additional information on products and services offered by AFL and its affiliates visit www.AFLglobal.com.

About North Star Communications Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, North Star served as the stand-alone telecommunications subsidiary of BE&K, Inc., one of the nation's largest privately held engineering, construction, and maintenance companies. Prior to this acquisition by AFL, North Star offered a full suite of infrastructure, network, and outsourcing services to the communications industry at large.

Contacts 
Mike Booth, Executive Vice President
AFL
864.486.7366
mike.booth@aflglobal.com

Corie Culp, Public Relations Manager
AFL
864.433.5409
corie.culp@aflglobal.com

Elaine Mizzell, Manager, Marketing Department
North Star Communications Group, Inc.                     
205.972.5358
elaine.mizzell@northstar.net