General

Learning Alliance & UCL Swift Partner on Fiber Workforce Initiative

Tampa, Florida — April 24,2026 — Learning Alliance Corporation (LAC) announces a strategic partnership with UCL Swift North America in 2026, strengthening industry collaboration focused on fiber and broadband workforce development. The partnership aligns training programs with the tools, technologies, and real-world practices used in modern network deployment, helping prepare technicians for the growing demands of broadband infrastructure across the United States. As fiber expansion accelerates nationwide, the demand for trained technicians continues to rise. Industry analysts estimate that between 58,000 and 200,000 additional skilled workers will be needed to support upcoming fiber infrastructure projects. By bringing industry –grade equipment directly into training environments, this partnership ensures students gain hands– on experience with the tools they will encounter in the field. Steve Harris, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at UCL Swift North America, emphasized the importance of industry involvement in workforce preparation. “At UCL Swift, we look for partners who are directly connected to workforce outcomes, not just training delivery. LAC has built programs that consistently produce technicians ready for real deployment environments. This partnership allows us to place our tools in the hands of learners who will be using them in the field from day one.” Through the partnership, UCL Swift North America will provide fusion splicers, cleavers, and specialized fiber tools used in broadband and network construction. These tools will be incorporated into LAC training programs that support fiber technicians, broadband installers, and line workers. The collaboration also includes instructor support, technical training, advisory participation, and engagement with students and employers across the industry. Fred Arnold, Executive Director at LAC, noted that the partnership reflects a broader effort to align workforce education with industry needs. “This partnership strengthens how we deliver training at every level. By integrating UCL Swift equipment and expertise into our programs, we give students direct experience with the tools and standards used in today’s fiber builds. That level of alignment accelerates readiness and improves outcomes for both technicians and employers.” The partnership will introduce joint initiatives throughout 2026, including co– branded training programs, curriculum collaboration, industry advisory participation, and events designed to connect employers with trained technicians. Future initiatives may also include micro– credentials, educational media content, and expanded classroom engagement opportunities.About Learning Alliance  CorporationLearning Alliance Corporation partners with businesses, colleges, and universities to bring U.S. Veterans and civilians stronger training initiatives that equate to solid career growth. By partnering with employers nationwide, Learning Alliance Corporation has created workshops, labs, and simulation programs that align the theoretical concepts with real-world application learning. This adaptable approach creates learning solutions based on community-specific goals, industry, staff skill level, and corporate culture. Learning Alliance Corporation provides quality instructors who are highly trained and specialize in the areas they teach. Learn more at www.mylearningalliance.com or contact Lymaris Pabellon at lpabellon@mylearningalliance.com. About UCL Swift North AmericaUCL Swift North America is a leading provider of fiber-optic splicing and connectivity solutions serving broadband, enterprise, and data center markets across North America. As the U.S. division of UCL Swift, the company designs and manufactures high-precision fiber tools, including fusion splicers, cleavers, and fiber preparation equipment used in modern network deployment. Known for its innovative All-In-One fusion splicing technology, UCL Swift helps technicians streamline installation while improving reliability and performance in fiber infrastructure projects. Through ongoing product innovation and industry collaboration, UCL Swift North America supports the expansion of high-speed broadband networks and the advancement of the global telecommunications industry. Learn more at http://uclswiftna.com. 

Jun 07, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, May 2026 Issue 2

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 18, 2026 8:15 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards  BEAD Progress Dashboard2. Cleveland moves to kill citywide fiber network deal. In 2023, Cleveland City Council approved a 30-year agreement with SiFi Networks, which promised to lay fiber-optic internet cable across the city at no cost to taxpayers. In the roughly 20 months since the deal was struck, SiFi Networks has failed to identify final installation sites, apply for permits or start any construction. At the time, SiFi Networks planned to spend $500 million on the project and recoup its money by charging internet service providers and others to access the network. The city says the company has failed to start the work. Read more.3. Telefônica completes purchase of FiBrasil. Telefônica Brasil, the parent company of Vivo, has completed the full acquisition of FiBrasil, consolidating its control over the fiber-optic infrastructure operator. With the transaction, Telefônica now owns 100% of FiBrasil, a company created in 2021 to operate as a neutral fiber-optic network in Brazil. In July 2025, when the acquisition was announced, the company served 151 cities across 22 states and had coverage reaching about 4.6 million households. Read more.4. Rural Broadband Institute launches for disadvantaged communities. Communities Unlimited (CU) has launched the Rural Broadband Institute (RBI), a new center built to close the connectivity gap in rural America. The institute draws on CU’s more than 50 years of offering infrastructure technical assistance to rural communities and direct broadband work across some of the least-connected communities in the country.  Millions of Americans still lack access to high-speed internet, most of them in rural communities. The communities CU works in are overrepresented in that number. Read more.5. Broadband costs down, speeds up. With costs going up across the board, one notable exception is broadband costs, according to a new report from USTelecom. The 2026 Broadband Pricing Index (BPI) reports that real prices, adjusted for inflation, have been falling while speeds have been increasing for 11 consecutive years. Real prices for 100–940 Mbps connections — the most popular offerings — dropped 6% last year and are down 43.6% in real terms since 2014.  Costs for popular gigabit plans also fell, dropping by 4.9% in real terms in 2025 and by 48.9% since 2016. Read more.6. Extension of Capital Project Fund Grants. There is a glimmer of hope that ISPs that won state grants that were funded from the Capital Project Fund (CPF) can get an extension of six months to complete grant construction. Many State grants awarded under this program have been constructed and up and operating. But some grant winners had delays and don’t expect to finish grant construction by the end of this year when the funding expires. On May 6, the Department of the Treasury updated the Coronavirus Capital Project Fund FAQs. The update includes a process where some projects can get an extension to complete construction for six months, until June 30, 2027, under new rules. Read more.7. Opinion Gigi Sohn: The Town BEAD Forgot. In Louisiana's poorest parish, a $6 million BEAD fiber award became a $150,000 Starlink contract under the Trump administration's rewritten program, leaving Lake Providence behind. What unites everyone in Lake Providence is contempt for local Internet access. A $6 million fiber award became a $150,000 award to satellite Internet provider Starlink. Set aside the technical limitations — and there are many. A service that costs $80 a month for the “lite” tier and $120 for standard is a non-starter in a town where nearly half of its residents live below the poverty line. Read more.8. FCC commits to further improving the National Broadband Map. The rural broadband picture in the U.S. is looking up, according to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who recently applauded progress he says is reflected in the agency’s new broadband map. The map shows that 96 percent of locations have access to a terrestrial fixed service of at least 100/20 Mbps. Carr applauded additional steps taken by the FCC that he says will streamline the process for broadband data collection. According to the FCC, a new notice of proposed rulemaking will solicit comments regarding approaches that could simplify and streamline the coverage restoration process. Carr said the FCC will aim to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens and make the challenge and verification processes easier for stakeholders. Read more here and here.9. Nebraska to reopen BEAD bids after providers drop out. Nebraska, which touted its first BEAD-funded activation this month, is reopening its BEAD bidding portal after some companies reportedly dropped from the program. Nebraska's broadband office confirmed that seven of the state's BEAD-winning providers have signed their award agreements. Those agreements will bring connectivity to "88 percent of the 14,032 eligible locations across the state.” That, however, leaves 1,735 locations unfunded – hence the reopening of the state's BEAD applications. A new map outlining the remaining locations available for coverage will be published "in the coming weeks," according to the state. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Heartland Fiber Project to create 2,000-mile fiber infrastructure. Regional backbone technology providers DCN, Range, and WIN Technology will join together to invest in the Heartland Fiber Project, a long-haul fiber network designed to increase network capacity, resiliency, and flexibility to support AI hyperscale data center development in the region. The $700 million investment from DCN, Range, and WIN Technology will enable the 2,000-mile expansion of network infrastructure across Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The Heartland Fiber Project will lay the groundwork for future high-speed communications growth between Denver and Chicago. Read more.2. Ripple Fiber expansion into Arizona. Ripple Fiber announces its plans to expand into Arizona. Investing over $80 million in the initial build, Ripple Fiber will deliver fiber internet service to over 50,000 homes and businesses. Construction will kick off in Oro Valley later this month, followed by neighboring Sahuarita in early June. Additional municipalities will be announced as the project progresses. Ripple Fiber expects to launch service for its first Arizona customers later this summer. Read more.3. GPC agrees to acquire Fastwyre Broadband’s Nebraska operations. Great Plains Communications (GPC) has reached a definitive agreement to acquire the Nebraska business of Fastwyre Broadband, the regional internet provider operated by American Broadband Holding Company. The deal covers Fastwyre’s operations in more than two dozen Nebraska communities and is presented as a bid to broaden GPC’s fiber network across the Midwest. Read more.4. ISP partners with electric co-op to deliver fiber on FL Gulf Coast. A partnership between Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative and Conexon Connect will deliver fiber to underserved communities on Florida’s Gulf Coast. This marks Conexon Connect’s sixth FTTH network built in collaboration with Florida cooperatives. Nationwide, the ISP operates more than 20 FTTH projects across seven states, reaching nearly half a million rural homes and businesses. Since its founding, Conexon says they’ve designed and constructed over 200,000 miles of fiber, connecting more than 4 million rural Americans to high-speed internet. Read more.5. Pavlov Media announces network expansion in Matteson, Illinois. Pavlov Media is expanding its fiber-optic Internet network in Matteson, Illinois, aiming to bring fast and reliable connectivity to local homes and businesses. The initiative is being managed by Campus Communications Group (CCG), Pavlov Media’s construction division that specializes in broadband infrastructure. CCG is responsible for overseeing the entire planning, design, and build of the fiber network in Matteson. Read more.6. BIG Fiber secures $250M credit facility for digital infrastructure. BIG Fiber, a leading provider of high capacity dark fiber infrastructure, announced the closing of a $250 million debt facility with an additional $100 million accordion feature. The financing provides BIG Fiber with significant capital to accelerate the expansion of its core markets. Read more.7. Syntrio to buy fiber assets from Texas electric cooperative. Syntrio Solutions LLC is acquiring the fiber-optic assets of Tri-County Electric Cooperative — based in Azle, Texas — to advance fiber deployment in the area.  Syntrio has served communities in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma for 75 years. Syntrio said it will integrate the 250-mile former Tri-County network into the company’s existing network. Read more.8. New Segra 600G route targets hyperscalers. Segra has completed a major network expansion connecting the Myrtle Beach Cable Landing Station to its inland network, delivering a new 600G route into Charlotte and Raleigh North Carolina. The network access extends to Atlanta and Ashburn, Virginia. Read more.   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 07, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, May 2026 Issue 1

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: May 4, 2026 7:50 am Pacific time. Updated Comprehensive BEAD Awards     BEAD Progress Dashboard2. $42B BEAD Program Becomes Operational. After four years of planning, a change in presidential administration that revised program rules, and months of delays, most states have unlocked a portion of funding under the $42B rural broadband BEAD program. States have six months to finalize contracts with participating internet service providers and complete required environmental and historic reviews, before construction canbegin. Some expect projects to break ground as early as the second half of this year. Still, major questions remain, including how more than half the program’s funding will be used. Read more.3. Zayo closes $4.25B Crown Castle fiber deal. Zayo closed its $4.25 billion acquisition of Crown Castle’s Fiber Solutions business, expanding its metro fiber footprint and enterprise reach across key U.S. markets. Zayo’s  national network includes long-haul, middle-mile and metro, serving the world’s largest carriers, hyperscalers, AI providers and enterprises. The addition of Crown Castle’s metro and regional fiber assets adds about 90,000 route miles and 40,000 on-net enterprise locations to Zayo’s network.  With the acquisition, Zayo’s network now spans 224,000 fiber route miles across North America. Separately, Crown sold its small cells business to the private equity firm EQT. Read more.4. Oklahoma wins a key approval for their BEAD plan. The NTIA granted final approval for Oklahoma’s last-mile grants under the federal BEAD program. The approval will enable the connection of 40,509 homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in hard-to-reach areas, spanning all 77 counties.  Upon completion of the work, over 95% of Oklahoma will have access to high-speed internet, supported by a $574 million investment dedicated to these broadband expansion projects. Read more.5. Grant application window for Colorado’s Advance-Local Middle-Mile program opens. Advance Colorado Broadband has released details for the Advance-Local-Middle-Mile grant program, which now is open. The application window closes on June 29 at 11:59 p.m. The application portal offers program guidelines and eligibility requirements.  The Grant Program Guidelines include information on the types of allowable projects (section 2.1). Tier I middle-mile projects will represent as much as 60% of the Colorado grant funds. More information about broadband in Colorado, including links to state funding resources, can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state. Read more.6. Eighth Circuit knocks out Biden-era digital discrimination FCC rules. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit vacated the FCC’s rules prohibiting digital discrimination. The FCC adopted the rules in November 2023, after the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, tasked the Commission with doing so. The court vacated the final rule and kicked it back to the FCC, leaving the FCC with an unfinished obligation to ‘adopt final rules to facilitate equal access to broadband internet access service’. Read more here and here.7. NTIA tells BEAD subgrantees to flag states that alter required contract language. The NTIA has issued guidance to broadband providers that will receive BEAD Program funding, telling them not to sign subgrant agreements that omit or modify required contract language and to report any state that attempts to do so.  The document covers two main areas of required contract language. The first involves what the NTIA describes as a prohibition on utility-style rate regulation. The second area covers permitting. States are required to include commitments that broadband-related permit applications will be accepted promptly and decided within 90 days. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Sertex takes aim at digital gaps in some Western Mass. Towns. Sertex Broadband Solutions will install over 1,000 underground service drops connecting the existing distribution fiber network to homes and businesses across multiple towns in MA including Greenfield, Heath, Chesterfield, and Westfield itself, which will act as the project’s mobilization hub. Sertex also secured an agreement with Chicopee Electric Light (CEL) to support Crossroads Fiber, a municipally owned fiber network in Chicopee. Under this contract, Sertex will install underground conduit for FTTH expansions while providing ongoing repair and maintenance services.  This agreement extends Sertex’s partnership with CEL, which has been active since 2019. Read more.2. Race Communications breaks ground on Bakersfield CA fiber network. Race Communications has begun building a fiber-optic network in Bakersfield, CA that will extend fiber service to more than 50,000 homes and businesses across the city. Construction on the network is underway, and Race expects the first Bakersfield customers to be connected by the end of summer 2026.  The company, founded in 1994 and based in California, says it now serves more than 50 markets in the state and has invested over $650M in its all-fiber network, with another $200M planned for 2026. Read more.3. Vero Fiber completes Anson, Texas fiber network. Vero Fiber has completed construction on Anson’s high-speed FTTH internet network, delivering a major upgrade to the city’s digital infrastructure. This milestone project now provides more than 1,900 homes and businesses with access to new fiber internet. With the completion of the Anson network, Vero Fiber continues to expand its footprint across Texas, having now built fiber networks in thirteen communities statewide. Read more.4. WOW! announces a big fiber build in East Central Michigan. WOW! has announced an expansion of its all-fiber network in East Central Michigan, with the company planning to extend fiber to more than 17,000 homes and businesses across Genesee, Livingston, and Oakland counties starting this spring. By early fall, a total of over 27,000 residences and commercial locations in the region will be able to access WOW!’s high-speed fiber internet. Read more.5. Arvig Line Extension grant to bring fiber to 446 MN structures. Arvig will begin construction this spring on an upgrade project to bring last-mile fiber connectivity to 446 structures in eight Minnesota counties. Arvig was recently awarded grants totaling $3.4 million from the state’s Broadband Line Extension program after submitting successful lowest-cost bids to serve the locations. Arvig will invest another $442,000 to cover the remaining project costs, bringing the grand total of the project to $3.87 million. Upon completion later this year, 104.3 route miles of new fiber infrastructure will have been constructed. Read more.6. Utah Broadband awarded $23M USDA ReConnect grant for fiber expansion. Utah Broadband has been awarded nearly $23 million in funding from the USDA ReConnect Loan and Grant Program.  The project consists of a 50 percent grant and 50 percent loan structure, nearly $11.5 million each. This funding enables Utah Broadband to construct 315 miles of new fiber infrastructure, providing fiber broadband to over 3,000 homes, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions. Read more.7. Fatbeam Fiber selected to deliver network to Federal Way schools. Fatbeam Fiber has been selected by Federal Way Public Schools in Federal Way, Washington to provide a dedicated, district-wide fiber network, marking a significant step in the district’s technological advancement. The award came through a competitive bid process as part of the federal E-Rate program. Headquartered in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Fatbeam additionally says they plan to expand its residential fiber internet service in Federal Way, which is located in the Seattle metro area. Read more.    Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Jun 07, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, April 2026 Issue 2

BROADBAND NEWS: 1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: April 22, 2026 2:30 pm Pacific time. Read more here and here.2. Amazon Leo to acquire Globalstar and Apple Partnership. Amazon has made two strategic moves aimed at expanding the size and capabilities of its Amazon Leo low-Earth orbit (LEO) subsidiary, signing a definitive merger agreement with Globalstar and partnering with Apple to provide connectivity services to the iPhone and Apple Watch. The transaction is expected to close next year. Read more.3. ReConnect Funding Restored in FY2027 USDA Bill. House appropriators included $40 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect program in their fiscal year 2027 spending bill, restoring funding after the agency proposed eliminating the rural broadband initiative.  The move marks a clear divergence from USDA’s fiscal year 2027 budget request, which proposed no funding for ReConnect.  The House Appropriations Committee released the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill on Wednesday April 22nd. Read more.4. The Rural Broadband Protection Act passes the House. The House of Representatives has passed The Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025. The bill, which already has passed the Senate, now goes to President Trump for his signature. The bill requires the FCC to establish a process to vet applications for some funding programs that provide affordable broadband in rural and other high-cost areas. NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association lauded the passage of the Rural Broadband Protection Act. “Better vetting of providers’ capabilities before they are awarded such funds is good public policy and common sense,” said NTCA CEO Mike Romano. Read more.5. Deutsche Telekom reportedly considers merger with T-Mobile US. A report by Bloomberg says Deutsche Telekom is considering a merger with T-Mobile US. The report says that early-stage talks have begun regarding the creation of a holding company that would make bids for shares from both publicly traded companies. Currently, Deutsche Telekom holds a majority stake (53%) in T-Mobile US. The theoretical deal, if it gained regulatory approval, would set a record for the largest public M&A and simultaneously create the world’s largest telecom. Read more.6. T-Mobile invests $2.7B for more fiber acquisitions. T-Mobile is forming a 50/50 JV with the private equity firm Oak Hill Capital to acquire and combine GoNetspeed and Greenlight Networks. T-Mobile will invest about $2 billion in this deal, which is expected to close in the first half of 2027. Separately, T-Mobile is creating a 50/50 JV with WrenHouse to acquire i3 Broadband. T-Mobile will invest about $700 million for this transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2026. T-Mobile already has fiber JVs with EQT to operate Lumos and with KKR to operate Metronet. T-Mobile currently passes about 1M customers with fiber broadband. These announced transactions will expand its fiber footprint to 1M additional homes. Read more.7. Fiber Broadband Association LATAM Releases 2025 FTTH Panorama. The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) LATAM Chapter released its FTTH Panorama for Latin America 2025 report, providing a comprehensive analysis of one of the world’s fastest-evolving fiber broadband markets.  While the pace of coverage growth is slowing, overall deployment remains strong, with fiber connections projected to grow from 227 million in 2024 to 281 million by 2029. Read more.8. Canadian Fiber Optics Coming Soon to Whitecourt, Alberta. Canadian Fiber Optics Corporation (CFOC), a leading Alberta-based fiber broadband provider, announced plans to invest in a state-of-the-art fiber optic network to over 1,500 businesses and residences in Whitecourt, Alberta. Construction will start immediately with service expected to be available before the end of the summer.  Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, CFOC is a privately-owned and operated fiber broadband provider, offering internet connectivity over its 100% pure fiber optic network. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. LSC and Ziply Announce Long Haul Fiber Networks. Two fiber providers — Light Source Communications (LSC) and Ziply Fiber — recently made separate long-haul transport announcements. We reported on the LSC TX-OK announcement in the previous edition of Broadband Bytes. As for Ziply Fiber, they announced that its “Northern Link Route,” which links the Pacific Northwest with the Midwest, is fully live. The 2,100-mile 400 Gig network connects Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Missoula, Billings, Bismark, Fargo, Minneapolis, Madison, Chicago, and other locations. Read more.2. UTOPIA Fiber 2025 results: + 1M feet new fiber. UTOPIA Fiber released its 2025 year-in-review results, reporting more than 1 million feet of new conduit and fiber laid in Utah, and the completion of Bountiful Fiber one year ahead of schedule. UTOPIA Fiber now serves more than 67,000 subscribers across 20 Utah member cities and through its operational partnership with Bountiful City, reflecting increasing demand for community-owned fiber infrastructure. Read more.   3. TDS Telecom agrees to buy Granite State Communications. TDS Telecom has agreed to buy the fiber optic and voice operations of Granite State Communications, an independent New Hampshire phone company with roots dating back to 1877. Under the purchase agreement, TDS will add more than 11,000 fiber service addresses from Granite State. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026. The Madison, Wisconsin-based company billed the acquisition as an expansion of its existing New Hampshire footprint. TDS has operated in the state since 1970 and already owns five telephone companies there. Read more.4. Truvista Fiber will take over municipal network in North Georgia. Truvista Fiber will take over the City of Commerce’s municipal telecommunications network in Georgia under a newly announced agreement. Once the transaction closes, the network will operate under the Truvista Fiber name, and the company plans to upgrade the existing fiber infrastructure while keeping service running for current customers. Truvista’s president and CEO, Carla French, described the move as part of the company’s broader expansion in the Southeast after its December 2025 acquisition of SlyTel. Read more.5. Mediacom’s fiber network construction ahead of schedule in Minnesota. Mediacom Communications has finished 12 fiber broadband projects across Minnesota ahead of schedule, adding more than 400 miles of last-mile fiber and bringing service to roughly 3,900 homes and businesses.  Mediacom reported it invested more than $13 million of private capital and used $11 million in Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development grant funding. Read more.6. Wire 3 announces expansion to Albany, Georgia. Datona Beach Florida based Wire 3, announced that Albany, Georgia is next in line to get its 100% fiber-optic network. Marking Wire 3’s second Georgia expansion, the $37 million investment will bring fiber connectivity to more than 37,000 Albany households and businesses.  Wire 3 is expanding its fiber internet footprint to more communities across Georgia. The addition of Albany, follows its recent $60 million investment in Macon GA. Read more.7. Texas middle-mile program awards $113M in grants. More than $113 million in grants was awarded under the Texas Middle Mile (TMM) Program, the Texas Broadband Development Office announced. The grants are designed to help strengthen broadband connectivity across the state. The Program focuses on expanding critical middle-mile infrastructure that connects backbone networks to last-mile providers. Read more.8. Japan’s SoftBank Getting Closer to Owning U.S. ISP WideOpenWest. DigitalBridge stockholders approved the company’s $4 billion sale to SoftBank Group Corp., clearing a major hurdle for the multibillion-dollar deal. DigitalBridge Group shareholders voted 96% in favor of the deal. DigitalBridge, with minority partner Crestview Partners, acquired WideOpenWest (WOW!) only in late December 2025 at a $1.5 billion enterprise valuation. WOW! has about 460,000 broadband subscribers. Read more.9. New York details its $542M broadband plan, including $287M in BEAD awards. New York’s ConnectALL office has begun implementation of its $542 million plan, which includes $287 million in BEAD funding. The $542 million total breaks down into $287 million in federal BEAD funding, $7 million in New York State funding, and $248 million in private-sector matching investments. The next steps include submitting provisional awards for state and federal environmental review. Nine providers were awarded funds. Read more.10. GCI’s Quintillion deal to enhance AK network reach, reliability. GCI has dipped into the telecom M&A well this week, reaching a deal to acquire Alaska’s Quintillion from Grain Management. This acquisition will combine Quintillion's 1,800 miles of existing subsea and terrestrial fiber and ~1,500 miles of planned fiber expansion with GCI's statewide network and operations, advancing GCI’s drive to enhance the service it delivers throughout Alaska.    Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

May 05, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, April 2026 Issue 1

BROADBAND NEWS:1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Updated: April 13, 2026 7:45am Pacific time. Read more here and here.2. Record fiber spending during next five years. Organizations in the US are set to spend at record levels on FTTH service during the next five years, according to a new study from research firm RVA LLC Market Research & Consulting. The firm’s study, “North American Fiber Broadband Report: FTTH Review and Forecast 2026-2030,” says that during the period of the study found that almost $200 billion will be spent on fiber. Though tier-one telephone companies remain the largest single source of fiber penetration, its level of dominance will fade from 93% in 2006 to 46% by the end of the study period. Read more.3. Brightspeed surpasses 3 million fiber locations passed. Brightspeed claims it's now the 3rd largest fiber builder in the U.S. The company aims to pass 4 million homes with fiber by year end. New Street Research speculates that Brightspeed might make a good acquisition target for Verizon.  Brightspeed was created in 2022 from assets it acquired from Lumen Technologies. Read more.4. House Dems raise 'deep concern' over Starlink's BEAD wins. A group of House Democrats sent a letter to NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth this week re-raising concerns about whether SpaceX's Starlink can meet its obligations for the BEAD program. The letter comes in response to SpaceX's effort earlier this year to get states to sign a rider that would relieve the company of certain obligations tied to its BEAD awards. The NTIA has since clarified that no such riders are allowed but questions remain about what that means for SpaceX's existing wins. Read more here and here.5. Supreme Court Rules on ISPs and Copyrights. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cox Communications in the longstanding lawsuit by Sony that sought to hold Cox liable for customers who download copyrighted material. The Court’s ruling was unanimous, which is a big win for ISPs. The Supreme Court went further and said that ISPs would only be liable if they intended for their service to be used for copyright infringement. Read more.6. Grain Management completes sale of Hunter Communications to Oak Hill Capital. Grain Management, global investment firm specializing in digital infrastructure, announced the completion of the sale of Hunter Communications, Oregon’s largest privately owned fiber-optic internet provider, to Oak Hill Capital. Hunter Communications is a regional fiber-optic internet provider operating a 3,000+ route-mile, fully fiber network across residential, commercial, and enterprise customers in Oregon, Washington, and Northern California. Read more.7. The FCC’s Ability to Levy Fines. A blog by CCG looks at the upcoming case at the Supreme Court concerning appeals by AT&T and Verizon over fines levied by the FCC. The original appeals followed an FCC finding that all three major U.S. cellular carriers were liable for violating customer privacy by selling access to customer location data. This data showed every place that a customer visited during the day, something that should make every cell customer uncomfortable. The FCC fined AT&T $50 million, T-Mobile $80 million, and Verizon $47 million, with smaller fines against a few other carriers. The case at the Supreme Court looks specifically at the FCC’s ability to levy fines against the carriers for violating consumer privacy rights. Read more.8. LSC to lay 400 Miles of New Dark Fiber. Light Source Communications (LSC), a provider of high-capacity dark fiber networks, is laying the groundwork for its newest dark fiber route bridging Amarillo, Texas, with Oklahoma City, Stillwater, and Tulsa, Oklahoma. This represents the third new dark fiber build LSC has commenced this year. Construction is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2027. Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. Comporium expands fiber network in Transylvania County NC with $4.7M investment. More than 500 homes and businesses in Transylvania County North Carolina now have access to Comporium’s fiber internet service. The company installed approximately 64 miles of fiber to reach 517 locations. This project, totaling more than $4.7 million, was funded through a combination of Comporium’s private investment and state-issued GREAT grants. Read more.2. Delaware becomes the fifth state in IQ Fiber’s growing footprint. IQ Fiber marked a milestone in its Eastern U.S. expansion, officially opening for business in Delaware, the company’s fifth state. The Jacksonville, Florida based provider of fiber-optic internet service launched service in Kent County, which becomes the first community in Delaware to be served by IQ Fiber’s all-fiber network.  The launch marks the beginning of a $150+ million investment by IQ Fiber in the state of Delaware. The network deployment is expected to continue for the next 18-24 months. Read more here and here.3. All West Fiber begins effort to expand network in Rawlins, Wyoming. All West Fiber recently announced the expansion of its fiber network, bringing high-speed internet access to more than 3,700 homes and businesses in the previously underserved Rawlins, Wyoming community.  Construction began in March 2026, with the earliest service-ready passings expected in May. The project is fully funded by All West. Read more here and here.4. GoNetspeed achieves 100% fiber coverage in North Hamden, CT. GoNetspeed said that North Hamden has become the newest Connecticut community to achieve 100% fiber-optic internet coverage. The company, said the expansion is supported by a privately funded $6 million investment and will ultimately serve more than 8,000 residents and businesses. The North Hamden project follows a recent $7 million build by GoNetspeed in Stratford and adds to the company’s footprint across Connecticut, where it already serves more than 40 other towns. Read more.5. Empire Fiber expansion into Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Empire Fiber announced its expansion into the Lehigh Valley, bringing fiber connectivity to more than 35,000 homes and businesses.  Empire Fiber currently serves homes and businesses across PA, in communities like Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Williamsport, Hazelton, Bloomsburg, and Erie, and continues to expand rapidly to meet growing demand for fiber broadband. Read more here and here.6. Race Communications completes initial phase of fiber network in Chowchilla, California. Race Communications, a privately held 100% fiber-to-the-home provider, completed the initial rollout of its fiber-optic network serving Chowchilla. The completion of Race’s fiber network marks the arrival of fiber internet services to more than 4,000 residents and businesses throughout the city.  Race now delivers fiber internet to more than 50 California markets. Across California, Race has invested more than $650 million and has additional investments of more than $200 million underway for 2026. Read more here and here.7. Vero Fiber expands credit facility for network growth. VFN Holdings, Inc. (Vero), a nationwide fiber infrastructure provider announced the successful expansion of its existing credit facility to $425 million of committed capital. The facility includes an accordion feature providing up to $585 million of total capacity.  Vero will utilize this credit facility to continue its investment in fiber-to-the-premise and dark fiber network solutions, and to support the previously announced acquisition of Telephone Electronics Corporation (TEC). Read more here and here.8. Wire 3 lights up first fiber internet customers in Lake County, Florida. Residents and businesses in parts of Leesburg are now being connected to a new fiber-optic internet network, Wire 3 announced, marking the company’s first active hookups in Lake County. Wire 3, a Florida-based fiber internet provider founded in 2021, said the initial rollout is backed by a privately funded $50 million investment. Additionally, Wire 3 said it intends to invest more than $150 million across the county in coming months. Read more here and here.9. Navajo Nation Secures $150 Million Broadband Investment from Arizona BEAD Funding. The Navajo Nation will expand broadband access, following a major funding award through the federal BEAD Program in partnership with the State of Arizona. The Nation has been awarded nearly $150 million—one of the largest single allocations to any tribal nation in the country—as part of Arizona’s broader broadband investment strategy.  The project is expected to connect 17,000 homes and community anchor institutions across the Navajo Nation, making it one of the largest broadband expansion efforts in the state. Navajo Nation’s award accounts for roughly one-third of Arizona’s total BEAD funding, underscoring both the scale of need and the significance of this investment. Read more.   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Apr 19, 2026

General

Broadband Bytes, March 2026 Issue 2

BROADBAND NEWS:1. Updated, Comprehensive List: BEAD Provisional Awards. Last updated: March 26, 2026 2:00 pm Pacific time. Read more.2. Is BEAD turning into a dud? Many stakeholders in the BEAD program are too polite to call the program a “dud.” But they’re starting to question whether BEAD — since the Trump administration changed the rules in mid-2025 — is going to make a real difference in closing the digital divide. There are concerns about the large amount of BEAD funds that are leftover. People are also questioning whether satellite will provide enough bandwidth over time. And at least one industry consultant predicts there will be defaults in the BEAD program.  NTIA has now approved the BEAD final proposals of 53 out of the 56 states and territories.  Fiber deployments will account for about 63% of BEAD projects, while fixed wireless will account for about 12% and satellite will account for about 23%. Read more.3. Pew Study: BEAD is important, but separate state initiatives are also vital. The BEAD program gets most of the attention about the impact of investment in broadband networks and related initiatives. But, as big as BEAD is, it is not the only game in town, according to a study from Pew Charitable Trusts. The study found that state legislatures collectively passed more than 160 bills and resolutions related to broadband last year. The study suggested that progress is being made on two key barriers that state broadband offices found to be obstacles. The first is that states are trying to coordinate federal, state, local and private permitting processes. Efforts are also being made to increase the availability of trained workers. Read more.4. New Mexico calls for the release of their full BEAD allocation. New Mexico has called for the federal government to release $293 million that was originally appropriated to them as part of the BEAD Program. The BEAD program has been targeted for reforms by the Department of Commerce. (DoC) As such, states have been directed to submit proposals that the department considers more cost effective.  New Mexico has joined other public officials pressing the DoC on the issue.  New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion Director Jeff Lopez said it’s imperative that the NTIA release the funds appropriated to New Mexico by Congress. He said the funds would help New Mexico reach goals relating to broadband deployment, workforce development, and digital opportunity. Read more.5. Analysis: What BEAD frontrunner states tell us about the federal award approval process. The NTIA doesn’t appear to have made major changes to states’ award recommendations in the Benefit of the Bargain round in the BEAD program, at least not based on analysis of NTIA award approvals for several states. Telecompetitor reached out to states that were furthest along in the BEAD process as of March 16. At that time, 20 states had received approval on their BEAD final proposals from NTIA and NIST and had signed an award agreement, according to NTIA’s BEAD Progress Dashboard. Read here and here.6. Hyperscale data center capex jumped 57% in 2025 as AI deployments accelerated. A new Dell’Oro report revealed that hyperscalers and AI model developers are expected to sustain strong capex momentum in 2026. Data center capital expenditures increased by 57% in 2025, reaching over $420 billion among the top hyperscalers. The four largest US cloud providers collectively spent over $340 billion, with Amazon leading at $125 billion. The DC capex is projected to surpass $1 trillion in 2026, driven by high-end accelerators and infrastructure needs. Read more.7. Neo Network Development envisions nationwide public fiber network to boost affordability, security. While there is a lot of private capital investment in the telecommunications landscape, Neo Network Development envisions a publicly owned fiber optic core spanning thousands of anchor points along federal transportation rights-of-way. The company, a proponent of open access networks backed by public-private partnerships, is gathering input on its National Broadband Master Plan, a five-year action plan to migrate U.S. digital infrastructure from individual retail circuits to a unified fiber core that sits directly alongside U.S. Interstate highways and federally funded state and county roads. The idea is to establish a “general fund project” overseen by the U.S. Department of Transportation, which would direct other federal and state transportation agencies to construct the network. Read more.8. Analysis suggests Starlink requirements could cost some homeowners $10K–$50K. Starlink has a significant technical challenge that could hurt its ability to participate in the BEAD Program, according to an analysis Tom Reid, the principal of the Reid Consulting Group. Reid’s critique is conceptually simple: Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites move very quickly (his analysis said 17,000 miles per hour). They also are comparatively low. Thus, service must be handed off as the satellites serve end users. To do so smoothly requires a field-of-view cone of 110 degrees.  Reid states “LEO services represent an amazing technological feat. However, many of the locations slated for LEO will be unable to receive the service due to terrain or foliage obstructions. It has been suggested that homeowners, at their own expense, build towers ranging in height [from] 50’ to 150’ to get a clear view of the sky — an absurd logistical and financial burden.” Read more.FUNDING AWARDS, FIBER EXPANSIONS1. GFiber to merge with Astound Broadband. GFiber, the unit of Alphabet formerly known as Google Fiber, announced that it will merge with Astound Broadband in a deal that will create a new, independent fiber internet provider. The combined company will be majority owned by Stonepeak, an infrastructure investment firm, while Alphabet will retain a significant minority stake. Additionally, the management team of the current GFiber business will continue to run the combined operation with the idea that GFiber’s experience in high-speed metropolitan networks will pair with Astound’s more established infrastructure and customer base. Read more.2. Twin Valley announces $12.3 million investment in rural Kansas. Twin Valley, Kansas’ largest privately-owned broadband and communications company, announced a $12.3M investment in 2026 to expand and modernize broadband infrastructure across rural Kansas. The initiative includes $4.7M in private investment by Twin Valley along with more than $7.6M in grant funding awarded in partnership with the Kansas Office of Broadband Development. Read more.3. United Communications announces Middle Tennessee expansion with $18.1M BEAD grant. United Communications is expanding its fiber network across Middle Tennessee with an $18.1M award from Tennessee’s BEAD program. United is building an extensive fiber network through a combination of private investment, strategic partnerships, and targeted public funding. The award will help connect approximately 1,800 currently unserved and underserved homes and businesses—representing roughly 4,500 residents—across Maury, Rutherford, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson counties to United’s fiber broadband network. Read here and here.4. Wire 3 expands to Georgia with fiber service in Macon. Wire 3 announced its expansion into Macon, Georgia — its first market outside Florida. The fully funded $60 million investment will deliver 100% fiber internet to more than 60,000 homes and businesses throughout the community.  Wire 3’s construction is set to begin immediately, with the first customers expected to be connected as early as summer of 2026. Read here and here.5. Greenlight Networks fiber buildout across nine northeast Pennsylvania towns. Greenlight Networks is set to accelerate the construction of its fiber internet network across Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and surrounding Northeast Pennsylvania communities in 2026. The project is backed by a more than $24 million dollar investment. Nearly 42,500 households and businesses now can connect to Greenlight’s network in NE Pennsylvania, with several thousands more to come online by the end of the year. Read more.6. GoNetspeed announces expansion to Oneonta, New York. GoNetspeed announced plans to launch its 100% fiber-optic network in Oneonta, NY marking the company’s first fiber deployment in Otsego County. Through a privately funded $4.5 million investment, GoNetspeed will deliver fiber internet to yet another New York community. Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the first homes and businesses connected as early as this spring. Read more.7. Fidium raises $664.6M via asset-backed securitization financing. Fidium (formerly Consolidated Communications) says it has closed its third fiber-backed asset backed securitization (ABS) transaction and that it raised $664.6 million. The American Bar Association defines securitization as “pooling illiquid financial assets — such as mortgages, auto loans, or credit card debt — and converting them into tradable securities sold to investors.”  The Fidium ABS transaction is secured by revenue from existing and future fiber-enabled customers and the fiber and network infrastructure supporting them. Fidium’s fiber business has grown 35% to 40% annually over the past three years. Read more.8. North Carolina awards $26M in broadband grants. North Carolina awarded nearly $26M from the state’s Stop-Gap Solutions program to connect 5,161 rural North Carolina homes, businesses, and community anchor institutions in 66 counties to high-speed broadband by the end of the year. Read more.   Broadband Bytes is a weekly collection of broadband news highlights from leading industry resourcescompiled by David Levine, RCDD. David is a graduate of Northern Illinois Universityand a 35-year industry veteran in fiber and copper solutions. 

Apr 01, 2026