As seen in the February 19, 2008 COMPTEL Connection

Matrix Telecom, Inc dba Matrix Business Technologies and Trinsic,
powered by Matrix
Headquarters: Dallas, Texas
www.matrixbt.com

Q: What does your company do and how long has it been in operation?
A: Founded in 1990, Matrix Telecom, Inc., operating as Matrix Business Technologies and Trinsic Powered by Matrix, is an integrated telecommunications provider serving consumers and small and medium size businesses nationwide.  Matrix is licensed as a facilities-based CLEC and Long Distance Provider in 49 states plus DC.  It has 200 employees with headquarters in Dallas and operations in Rochester, N.Y., and Atmore, Ala.

Matrix is owned by Platinum Equity, a global M&A&O® firm specializing in the merger, acquisition and operation of companies that provide services and solutions to customers in a broad range of business markets, including information technology, telecommunications, industrials, logistics, manufacturing, and entertainment distribution. Since its founding in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity has completed nearly 100 acquisitions with more than $27.5 billion in aggregate annual revenue at the time of acquisition.
 

Q: To what do you attribute your company’s success in the communications industry?
A: Matrix is successful through its disciplined “Acquire for Growth; Harvest for Profit” approach. Specifically Matrix focuses daily on delivering voice and data services in an operationally efficient way through the use of technology and process discipline. Our investments in growth are limited to the acquisition of customer assets in whole or as part of a company divestiture of non-core, non-strategic customer sets. By maintaining focus on efficient operations and customer profitability while making judicious investments to grow our base through acquisition we have profitably grown over the last several years.

Q: What have been the biggest obstacles your company has faced in the marketplace?
A: Without question the biggest obstacles in the marketplace remain the powerful scale and resources and influence of the former Bell companies as well as the encroachment of MSO’s in the residential and now Small Business spaces.

Q: What do you see as your greatest challenges going forward?
A: Certainly FCC forbearance decisions will play a key role in driving competitive balance for this industry as well as technology shifts that drive customer churn if we fail to evolve with the marketplace as a company.
 

Q: What have been some of your company’s most recent achievements?
A: In June 2007 the assets of the former Trinsic Communications were acquired out of bankruptcy liquidation by our owner, Platinum Equity, and integrated into Matrix Telecom operations, saving jobs for employees of the former Trinsic and generating significant positive EBITDA within months.

Additionally, 2007 was a record year for Matrix Telecom , with the best customer retention rate in our history.

Q: Why is it important for your company to be a COMPTEL member?
A: We greatly value the opportunity to be counted among those defending the competitive landscape created as a result of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. We wanted to participate in the thought leadership driven by COMPTEL and its membership and we are pleased to have the opportunity to play a bigger role in driving the future of the market through our association with the members of COMPTEL.