While major incumbent mergers get all the attention, there continues to be a significant wave of consolidation rolling through the nation's smaller, more-rural carriers. That consolidation continued this with with the news that MidContinent Communications will be buying U.S. Cable. According to the announcement, U.S. Cable systems pass approximately 86,000 homes and serve approximately 33,000 customers, most of which are in Minnesota and Wisconsin. "We’re excited about the opportunity to serve our new customers and become part of these communities," said Pat McAdaragh, Midcontinent’s president and CEO. "We believe that these systems are a nice fit for us. The US Cable fiber network is within 100 miles of our fiber network and we plan to connect the two networks, thereby expanding our reach eastward and getting us into the main network operator interconnect location in Minneapolis."