An Ottawa internet provider wants to buy Arryba Communications Inc., a local high-speed internet company that filed for protection from its creditors on Monday, leaving 340 subscribers without service.

Arryba had been offering high-speed internet to people just outside Ottawa when lightning hit a radio tower that the company uses. That lightning strike contributed to Arryba's failure and bankruptcy filing.

Storm Internet Services, an Ottawa-based internet service firm, says it has approached the bankruptcy trustee in hopes of buying Arryba's assets and putting them back into service.

Storm is the largest wireless internet provider in the region, serving about 8,000 clients.

"If we can purchase the equipment from the trustee, it will be a very simple process" to get Arryba back into service, said Barry Williams, Storm's chief executive officer, adding that Arryba used about 15 towers that were relatively close to Storm's network.

"In most cases, it's as simple as moving a cable and plugging it into our switch," Williams said. "We essentially bring their network back on line to bring service to all their customers."

If all goes according to plan, Williams said, Arryba's former customers could have their service restored in little more than a week.