SALIDA, Colo. (April16, 2025) — More than 4,000 internet customers in Chaffee and Custer counties are now officially Visionary Broadband customers, following the full rebranding of Aristata Communications.
The naming update comes just one year after Visionary acquired the homegrown telecom provider. It caps off a year of rapid infrastructure investment, customer speed boosts and expanded fiber projects across the region.
Visionary’s acquisition of Aristata last year brought together two companies with deep roots in the rural West and a shared mission to deliver fast, reliable internet to mountain communities.
Since then, more than 1,000 Aristata customers have received increased speeds at no additional cost, with access to further upgrades planned throughout 2025. The coverage area spans key towns including Salida, Buena Vista, Nathrop, Johnson Village, Poncha Springs, Maysville and Chalk Creek in Chaffee County, as well as Westcliffe and Silver Cliff in Custer County.
A series of state broadband grants secured shortly after the acquisition enabled Visionary to accelerate fiber rollouts, helping to close long-standing service gaps in these rural markets. Since the beginning of March, Visionary has completed 19 miles of construction in and around Buena Vista.
“We’re not just changing the name on the bill,” said Visionary CEO Brian Worthen. “We’re delivering faster, better service and making long-term investments that will support these communities for years to come.” The acquisition and rebranding also ensure that Aristata’s local workforce remains intact.
Before the acquisition, Aristata already relied on Visionary’s network backbone from Salida and Buena Vista, giving its leadership insight into Visionary’s technical capabilities and service reliability. That foundation made the transition seamless and allowed for immediate infrastructure improvements.
“Visionary is working to bring high-speed fiber to key public locations like the Poncha Springs Visitor’s Center, and we’re excited about what that means for our residents and businesses,” said Lance Hostetter, town administrator of Poncha Springs. “We hope to continue partnering with Visionary to build on this initial step. Rural communities like ours continue to push for broadband expansion that meets the needs of rural communities.”
The official rebranding aligns all Aristata customer accounts under the Visionary name, beginning with April billing cycles.
For more information about Visionary Broadband and its broadband services, visit vcn.com.
About Visionary Broadband
Visionary Broadband was founded in 1994 in a rural community in Wyoming. It is a
homegrown company that has developed technical abilities with a focus on reliability.
Today, the rural internet provider serves five states and has a proven track record of
connecting the most rural communities, bringing a commitment of efficiency, reliability
and affordability to its customers. To learn more visit, vcn.com.
Media contact:
Natalie Wright
natalie@candorpr.com
405-313-1153