Chris Reyes President (owner), from left, David Steinkamp treasurer (owner), Sellers team: Shireen Millington (Controller), Dan Millington (President, owner). Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — Bludog Telecom, a Ventura County firm that helps small businesses set up and maintain cloud-based phone and other communications services, recently acquired Portland-based Northwest Telecom Systems, a move that expands the company’s geographical reach and its range of service offerings.
Bludog Telecom provides Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP phone systems to businesses. These systems are a modern and reliable way for companies to communicate with customers while saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars compared to traditional business phone services. Additional communications tools such as text messaging, voicemail and video conferencing can be integrated into the system and presented using a single, streamlined interface. Known as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), these integrated communications systems allow businesses to manage a variety of customer interactions all in one place.
Industry veterans Chris Reyes and David Steinkamp founded Bludog Telecom in 2016 after purchasing a legacy phone company and repurposing it as a VOIP provider. At the time, demand for Internet-based phone services was taking off and the founders were able to grow their client base to more than 100 companies within a few years. With their focus on exceptional customer service and tailored, scalable solutions for businesses of all types, the pair have built Bluedog Telecom into a highly regarded business known for bridging legacy systems with cutting-edge technologies.
In the summer of 2024, Reyes and Steinkamp decided to grow their company further by purchasing Northwest Telecom Systems after learning that the owner, Dan Millington, was retiring. Based in the Portland metro area, Northwest Telecom Systems had been providing personalized service to businesses in Oregon and Washington for 35 years. Millington was looking for a likeminded, customer-centered telecommunications company to continue the work. Bludog Telecom fit the bill.
“Bludog Telecom has the experience to handle all of your communications needs,” said Reyes, Bludog Telecom’s president. “We keep up to date with current and future communications technologies so our customers don’t have to. We provide white glove service in a space that is usually plagued with poor support and mostly self-service options.”
The purchase adds another 110 business customers to BluDog Telecom’s portfolio across the greater Portland area and Washington and allows the firm to offer an even wider range of integrated communications services. Additionally, because of its expanded client base, BluDog Telecom will be adding additional features and services for all its customers, Reyes said.
Both Reyes and Steinkamp have decades of experience in the telecommunications industry and a deep understanding of traditional and next-gen technologies. Reyes started out at a Santa Barbara telecommunications company in the 1990s and later worked for a Ventura County firm called Tel-Pro Voice and Data. After working for small companies for a few years, he realized he wanted to be a business owner and launched his first telecom company, Axion Communications, in 2001. Reyes successfully grew the company to a moderate size and sold it in 2009. After a short but rewarding foray into the hospitality industry — operating a wine bar in downtown Ventura — Reyes returned to telecommunications in 2016 with the launch of Bludog Telecom.
David Steinkamp is a seasoned telecommunications leader with over three decades of experience spearheading innovation and delivering impactful solutions. His extensive expertise encompasses cutting-edge technologies, including VoIP and commercial/industrial Data and Voice infrastructure, enabling clients to excel in today’s ever-changing digital landscape. He is renowned for cultivating strategic partnerships and providing exceptional service. His entrepreneurial drive and unwavering commitment to integrity have earned him the trust and loyalty of clients across a wide range of industries. Originally from Hawaii, Mr. Steinkamp now resides in Ventura County with his wife, three daughters, and their beloved dog, Koa Blu.
Bludog Telcom is now looking to grow the company further through new acquisitions. With many legacy company owners retiring and demand for cloud-based communications services on the rise, Reyes and Steinkamp believe Bludog Telecom is well positioned to expand its footprint and help even more organizations successfully navigate the changing communications environment and remain competitive.
—Bludog Telecom is located at 2390-C Las Posas Rd. #225, Camarillo, CA 93010. For more information visit bludogtelcom.com, call 805-647-3319 or email info@bludogtelecom.com