Top 100
The 2025 Broadband Communities Top 100 includes companies, entities, and organizations making the biggest impacts this year.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
From multimillion fiber expansions to grassroots deployments in rural communities, the connectivity landscape is more dynamic than ever in 2025. As the BEAD program injects new energy to the telecom sector, we take a look at the top 100 organizations (in no particular order) accelerating builds, sparking new partnerships, and reshaping the competitive landscape in 2025.
100. DigitalC
DigitalC recently connected their six-thousandth household in Cleveland, which was once ranked as America’s least-connected major city. The organization, a non-profit with a mission to eliminate Cleveland’s digital divide, offers symmetrical 100 Mbps internet at affordable rates. DigitalC has utilized Tarana’s ngFWA technology to expand their footprint, bringing reliable, high-speed internet to neighborhoods throughout Cleveland and economic opportunity by extension.
Nextlink Internet has expanded beyond providing fixed wireless internet and is now a rising player in rural fiber broadband. The company has announced a multitude of recent fiber expansions in Texas and beyond and has signified a commitment to bettering the rural communities they serve, like in Seward, Nebraska, where the company opened their first Digital Empowerment Center.
The Digital Empowerment Center in Seward offers a free digital literacy course, access to tools that can help sharpen technical skills, Minecraft Hour of Code tutorials targeted towards giving a youth audience coding experience, and tips for participating safely online.
98. GeoLinks
GeoLinks is expanding their ClearFiber network to new markets. The company, which says they’re more than an ISP, has also made staffing moves to unlock new strategic wholesale partnerships, in the hopes of driving new, sustainable growth. The company also offers high-speed internet marketed to meet the needs manufactured home communities, apartment complexes, and HOAs. As a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC), GeoLinks has also voiced continued commitments to connecting anchor institutions in communities they serve.
97. Traverse City Light & Power
Traverse City Light & Power expects construction of their network, TCLP Fiber, to be completed in November. According to Traverse City Light & Power, the work will enhance smart grid reliability while reducing outage times for customers. Work began on the network in 2020, which is part of a $25 million total investment by TCLP. Once it’s completed, TCLP will have overcome incumbent resistance and financial challenges to complete the network, which is highly anticipated by the community.
96. AccessParks
AccessParks provides connectivity options for owners and operators of manufactured home communities, also known as MHCs. The company says their technology can deliver speeds up to 1,000 Mbps. AccessParks claims to have deployed to more than a thousand outdoor hospitality venues with services that include dashboards specifically for MHC owners, giving them a new level of control over broadband services in their communities.
95. Vexus Fiber
Part of Metronet, Vexus Fiber continues to name gigabit cities across their footprint in Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana. Together with Metronet, both companies operate networks in 300 communities across 18 states. Texas-based Vexus Fiber operates networks in communities like Lubbock, Amarillo, Wichita Falls, and Laredo, extending their Certified Gigabit City Powered by Vexus designation to communities where most households have access to the company’s 1 Gigabit per second internet speeds.
94. Vero Broadband
Vero Broadband has made moves to bolster their fiber presence in Central Oregon with an agreement to acquire BendTel, Inc., a Bend-based company that delivers fiber internet services in the region. The company also continues to introduce new communities to their Vero Fiber network, as was demonstrated by their recent work in Arcata, California. Additionally, Vero Broadband offers a comprehensive suite of services to MDU owners and operators, and the company’s portfolio includes a wholesale division specializing in the design, construction, and management of dark fiber infrastructure for hyperscale cloud providers and other enterprises.
93. Altice USA
Altice USA began 2025 on a good note, reporting their lowest quarterly customer churn in three years and achieving fiber growth of over 69%. The company also surpassed several milestones in 2025, reaching their 600,000th fiber customer and surpassing half a million mobile lines. It has also been reported that Altice USA is involved in conversations with creditors to cut their debt. The company, which is the parent company of Optimum, also reported a lower loss of broadband subscribers in Q2 of 2025, representing a significant improvement in year-over-year numbers.
92. Glo Fiber
In May, Glo Fiber said they were able to double their number of residential and business passings in only 36 months, moving the needle from 330,000 passings to 600,000. Glo Fiber’s network, which is powered by Shentel, has also posted an impressive 51% growth in data subscribers during the fist quarter of 2025, representing a revenue increase of 52% across Glo Fiber’s expansion markets, which include places like Lancaster, Ohio, and Berryville, Virginia.
91. Harmonic
Harmonic considers itself the worldwide leader in virtualized broadband and video delivery solutions. Providers like Midco, a leading broadband operator in the Midwest, have tapped Harmonic’s virtualized broadband platform to help modernize their networks, to boost their connectivity offerings to subscribers. The company is also widely known for their numerous partnerships across the telecom sector, and for revolutionizing broadband networking with virtualized broadband solutions, which enable operators with more flexibility to deploy services.
90. Midco
Midco operates a fiber network that spans 17,000 route miles, serving over a million homes and businesses. The company’s network reaches over 400 communities and has a team that includes members from Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Far from complacent with their size, Midco has moved to acquire Savage Communications Inc. as part of their Fiber Forward push. Savage Communications, also known as SCI, currently serves around 12,000 data customers in Minnesota, with plans to reach over 28,000 passings by year’s end.
89. RUCKUS Networks
RUCKUS Networks, one of the leaders in network connectivity, has a rich portfolio that includes solutions for a diverse set of communities, including MDUs. This year, back in February, RUCKUS Networks also released AI-driven that integrate generative, edge, and intent-based AI features with its industry-leading Wi-Fi 7 portfolio to achieve new level of simplicity, automation and customization in enterprise networks. The company has also worked with Nokia to develop a next-generation optical LAN solution with RUCKUS Wi-Fi APs and the RUCKUS One platform, which will be utilized to manage Nokia’s optical LAN network.
88. Deep East Texas Council of Governments and Economic Development District
The Deep East Texas Council of Governments and Economic Development District (DETCOG), an association of local governments in East Texas, has put their pencils to paper to solve their region’s connectivity issues. DETCOG has worked to develop a long-term broadband strategy, resulting in plans for 65 broadband projects in East Texas. The organization was honored for their work to advance connectivity in rural East Texas at the Broadband Communities Awards, where they took home the Rural Connectivity Award for 2025.
ASSURED Communications is a network owner, operator, and also offers strategic advisory services with a mission-driven approach that leads the company to do groundbreaking work advising tribal entities, government organizations, and other facility operators. The company has a global team that can steer projects from design to completion, helping communities to find solutions to connectivity challenges, like the Quinault Indian Nation, which was able to identify feasibility of a cable landing station with ASSURED’s help, ushering in hope of economic prosperity.
86. Ubiquity
With a focus on last-mile connectivity, Ubiquity has an open-access fiber platform that is growing quickly in the U.S. market. With partners that include ISPs, wireless carriers, utilities, and municipalities, the company also emphasizes their MDU focus, with a division called Ubiquity Smart Buildings. With no up-front cost for MDU owners, the division of Ubiquity specializes in the deployment of fiber-to-the-unit networks, allowing MDUs to accommodate technologies like managed Wi-Fi, security systems, access management, climate control, and EV charging stations.
85. T-Mobile
With a deal valued at over $4.3 billion, T-Mobile has acquired wireless operations and selected spectrum assets from the company formerly known as US Cellular. With the deal, 4 million new customers were brought under T-Mobile’s umbrella. And the company has also launched a cellular Starlink service, in partnership with SpaceX.
With 650 dedicated satellites, it’s now the largest satellite to mobile constellation in the world. T-Mobile hasn’t neglected their fiber business either. In 2025 the company surpassed the milestone of extending network availability to more than 500,000 U.S. households. T-Mobile hopes to reach 12-15 million locations with fiber by 2030, a dream that will become closer to reality when their pending close with Metronet is completed.
84. Network Connex
Network Connex bills their company as a strategic partner for those who are deploying and designing digital infrastructure necessary for data centers and other networks. The company’s outside plant construction teams assist clients with fiber-optic network construction, guiding ROI-based network design decisions that drive economic sustainability for providers. The company also aims to support clients with standalone deployments, upgrades and restorations, and additionally provides wireless services, structured cable services, and engineering services.
83. Consolidated Communications
With a network spanning 67,000 fiber route miles, Consolidated Communications has made moves to increase their competitiveness in the future, including by expanding their data center connectivity platform. The company has a fiber footprint that serves data centers in the Upper Midwest, Texas, and Northern California, with a new route that also connects Montreal and Boston, serving to provide enhanced network diversity, lower latency, and greater bandwidth capacity.
82. TDS Telecom
TDS Telecom recently celebrated exceeding 1 million fiber passings, marking what the company says was a pivotal achievement in TDS Telecom’s efforts to transform into a fiber-first provider. In 2025 alone, TDS Telecom is aiming to deliver fiber to roughly 150,000 addresses. The provider additionally operates in 31 states, managing active fiber expansion projects in dozens of communities in the Pacific Northwest and in Wisconsin, where the company is based.
81. Ziply Fiber
Ziply Fiber is now a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE, Canada’s largest communications company. Now operating as a separate business unit within BCE, Ziply Fiber added thousands of miles of fiber routes in the months before the deal with BCE was finalized, extending their network to communities in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and their home state of Washington. In total, Ziply’s footprint is beyond a quarter million square miles, making it the leading fiber provider in the Pacific Northwest at the time of its acquisition.
80. Lumos Fiber
Fiber to the home provider Lumos was acquired by a joint venture between T-Mobile and EQT Infrastructure, which will lead to many of their customers becoming T-Mobile customers. While the transition is still ongoing for Lumos, the company’s achievements before their acquisition are worth highlighting. They have a goal of reaching 3.5 million homes with fiber by the end of 2028 in partnership with T-Mobile and had passed over 475,000 homes with fiber across 10 states with 7,500 miles of route fiber in their network.
79. Aegis Digital
Aegis Digital, a specialized consulting engineering firm, offers turnkey outside plant engineering solutions, with other core services that include FTTX planning and design, construction, permitting and regulatory compliance, pole loading analysis, and traffic control plans.
The company maintains partnerships with well-known ISPs, including Ziply, Rise Broadband, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. Aegis Digital also extends partnerships to municipalities and educational institutions and aligns with leading engineering firms and construction partners, including Dycom Subsidiaries, Quanta Subsidiaries, Mastec, and Fullerton.
78. NEO Connect
Aerial drone surveys, construction management, and grant compliance are some of the services offered by NEO Connect, a consulting and engineering firm that says they’ve helped ISPs evaluate hundreds of BEAD applications. Accurate and timely results are produced by NEO Connect’s developed engineering process, and the company has helped clients obtain over $850 million in grant funding for broadband infrastructure.
Additionally, NEO Connect is a trusted technical support consultant for Colorado, where the company has supported more than 50 grant applications for Colorado’s BEAD program. Currently, NEO Connect is overseeing a $40 million middle mile/FTTP project for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. The company also maintains partnerships with local government clients in a host of states, including Minnesota, Colorado, California, Utah, and Arizona.
77. ZochNet
ZochNet is an ISP based in Giddings, Texas providing fixed wireless and fiber-optic internet services. The company boasts partnerships with 10 rural towns in Central Texas and has been recognized as one of the country’s fastest growing private companies for six years in a row. ZochNet also makes a point to say they don’t outsource any of their construction or buildouts, handling it all in house.
76. gaiia
Touting a modern OSS/BSS platform purpose-built for ISPs, gaiia says they’re on track to triple revenue in 2025. The company, which claims to be the fastest-growing OSS/BSS in the US market, has also rolled out a module built specifically for MDUs.
The module allows ISPs to provide tailored billing logic, automated unit provisioning, bulk onboarding, and white-labeled checkouts for tenants, according to gaiia. The company’s technology partners include leading vendors like Calix, Nokia, Adtran, and Vetro, who have integrated with gaiia’s innovative, cloud-native tools, helping broadband providers deliver exceptional subscriber experience while optimizing operations.
ONUG Communications is a North Carolina-based engineering and design firm with a national presence. The company supports a high-profile client list, including Google Fiber, AT&T, Brightspeed, Lumen, and Verizon. ONUG Communications also serves a host of regional providers, rural incumbent local exchange carriers, universities, retirement communities, electric co-ops, municipalities, and government agencies.
With services that range from feasibility studies and comprehensive planning to detailed design work and assistance with federal and state FTTH grant processes, ONUG Communications developed plans that passed over 194,000 locations in 2024 alone and has remained committed to innovation as well. The company reports being engaged in innovative efforts like small-cell predictive planning, fiber optic and cellular data mining, and middle-mile consulting, which seeks to leverage interstate corridors to bring broadband access to underserved areas.
74. Clearfield
Clearfield’s is one of the most prominent designers, manufacturers and distributors of fiber optic connectivity and management products. The company’s diverse list of products includes active and passive cabinets, cable and drop assemblies, cassettes, frames and panels, microducts, optical components, pedestals and inserts, terminals, test access points, vaults and boxes, wall boxes and accessories.
Deploying more than a million fiber ports per year, Clearfield says they’re continuing to their strong US manufacturing presence. Clearfield is also a leading provider of BEAD-compliant equipment. Additionally, Clearfield has taken a prominent role in efforts to address workforce development with the offering of 3D interactive guides that give step-by-step product installation and training for workers in the field, helping to reduce errors and accelerating technician onboarding.
73. GigabitNow
GigabitNow is a builder and operator of multiple fiber-to-the-home community networks across seven states, stretching from coast to coast. The company delivers fiber internet to a variety of underserved communities, including private HOAs, and senior living communities. With their eyes set on continued expansion, GigabitNow says they value forging partnerships with communities and offering solutions tailored to meet their needs, offering out of the box approaches to communities both large and small.
72. Render Networks
Setting Render Networks apart from the pack is the company’s AI-first, field-driven innovations, according to the digital construction management platform provider. Render’s platform gives project leaders enhanced accuracy with forecasts for labor, materials, timelines, and proactive risk management, allowing network builders the ability to address issues before they become costly delays.
Render Networks has also made moves in recent years, and the company now operates with clients across 25 states. Additionally, Render Networks has been recognized for their leadership in construction, planning and integration, taking home the Light It Up award at Fiber Connect 2025 for their work to deliver transformative connectivity to the communities that need it most.
71. Co-Mo Connect
Based in Missouri, Co-Mo Connect is a member-owned broadband provider that extends phone and fiber-internet services to rural communities as a subsidiary of Co-Mo Electric Cooperative. Co-Mo Connect has expanded to over 35,000 subscribers across their Central Missouri footprint, and in the Lake of the Ozarks area. The company plans to grow even further, hoping to reach 40,000 subscribers while continuing to reinvest in the communities they serve through charitable campaigns.
70. Velox
Velox is a leading telecom contractor that returns to the Broadband Communities Top 100 in 2025. As part of their recent growth, last year Velox launched a dedicated in-house engineering and design division, known as Velox Professional Services.
The company prides itself on offering peace of mind to their clients, who often choose Velox as a partner for the company’s wealth of project management and engineering expertise. Velox has also maintained their dedication to setting standards for trust, quality, and safety as they’ve expanded, forging long-term partnerships across the country and offering the attention to detail that Velox prides itself on.
Microcom is an Alaskan-grown provider of advanced satellite communications, providing connectivity to customers in some of America’s most challenging geography. Along with Alaska, the company also has operations in Hawaii, offering high-speed internet to places previously considered “off the grid.”
As an authorized retailer of Starlink, Microcom brings comprehensive satellite and internet services direct to the consumer, with services tailored to meet the needs of rural customers in Microcom’s Alaskan and Hawaiian footprint.
68. TAK Broadband
As a leading fiber network construction contractor, operating across 40 states, TAK Broadband is one of the largest drop contractors in the United States. First founded in 2004, TAK Broadband has today grown to develop a unique and effective ecosystem of partners and installed 17 million feet of drops in 2024 alone. The company also supports 1.2 million installations and trouble calls annually.
In the future, TAK Broadband says they’re prepared to scale even further as the demand for fiber broadband continues to grow. The company is aiming to enhance their holistic, safety-first approach to project execution, building on one of the company’s foundational commitments. With a team comprised of 400 drop crews, and over 200 experienced construction crews, TAK Broadband remains a key player, even offering services like grant writing and compliance reporting.
67. Smithville
Smithville, a recognized champion of rural broadband in Indiana, continues to expand their fiber network, serving an impressive array of commercial customers. A recently completed $4.5 million network upgrade gives Smithville’s network the capacity to scale to 200 Gbps in the future and allows Smithville to offer wave-level connectivity from 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps.
As they’ve grown, Smithville has also maintained commitments to social responsibility, offering resources to protect children and remaining active in telehealth initiatives. Smithville has additionally been lauded for their rapid responses to severe weather. In total, Smithville has invested over $250 million in private equity to build out their network (over 3,000 miles in Indiana alone), which now serves government and nonprofit entities, and defense industry-related employees in the region.
66. Rise Broadband
Rise Broadband stands as the largest fixed wireless broadband service provider in the United States. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, Rise Broadband operates across 16 states, delivering internet speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 10 Gbps. This robust service offers customers a compelling, competitive alternative to satellite, DSL, and cable providers.
Rise Broadband’s service footprint spans states including Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, among others. In addition to its fixed wireless offerings, Rise Broadband is expanding access to cutting-edge fiber networks in underserved rural communities, such as Sealy, Texas. Through its Rise Fiber initiative, the company provides unlimited data plans at affordable, contract-free rates, enhancing connectivity for customers in these regions.
Breaking Point Solutions provides broadband capacity planning, engineering, and network design services. Notably, the company, which also includes planning software among their offerings, helped officials in Washington State’s broadband office navigate the capacity and technical challenges inherent to the BEAD program. The company plans to remain an engaged player as the BEAD program continues to unfold.
AWS Comm Holdings says fiber network installations are what they do, delivering network design services as a core business category. The company, based in Austin, markets office installations, structured cabling, and fiber installation to network audit services, with a team of professionals that assist telecommunications providers seeking to enhance their networks. Consultants from AWS Comm Holdings are also a feature of the company’s strengths, advising providers and businesses on the right type of fiber technology to suit their needs.
With a specialization in turnkey internet and connectivity solutions, Elauwit Connection is a national managed services provider. In specific, the company tailors their solutions for the multifamily and student housing industries. According to Elauwit Connection, their solutions empower real estate owners and operators to transform premium connectivity into a competitive advantage. The firm says their solutions also help power revenue generation and service quality.
InCoax Networks is globally known for repurposing coaxial networks in aging properties, specifically for communications service providers in fiber and fixed wireless access deployments.
The company says their technology is futureproof, and provides a reliable, high-performance, and cost-effective product. Through their work, InCoax Networks AB says they can improve take-up rates. The company’s technology also offers reduced installation times, making their offerings attractive to property owners and operators alike and reducing the boosting digital inclusion efforts by extension.
Master-planned communities have been in good hands with The Broadband Group since 1997. Along with many of the country’s largest master-planned communities, The Broadband Group has also worked with leading cities and utilities.
The company operates independently, with no formal industry partnerships. This, according to The Broadband Group, is to look out solely for the interests of their clients. The company’s planning expertise, along with their influence, has been an instrumental part of connecting communities throughout the United States.
60. GOCare
As a company that prides itself on being founded by operators and for operators, GOCare offers an innovative SaaS solution that integrates seamlessly with existing operator technology stacks. According to GOCare, their solution reduces call volumes, cuts operational costs, accelerates payments, and boosts customer satisfaction metrics.
GOCare’s cloud-based Digital Experience Platform enables broadband providers to deliver proactive notifications and personalized interactions through digital channels such as two-way SMS, social media, web chat, and email. The modular solution makes it easy to scale customer care and deliver account, service, and outage updates and NPS surveys to subscribers.
59. BroadbandOne
BroadbandOne is a wireless network operator that delivers enterprise-grade connectivity with their Telco-as-a-Service (TaaS) model. With one of the largest portfolios of licensed mmWave spectrum, BroadbandOne holds 57 FCC licenses and enables rapid broadband deployment for municipalities, enterprises, and underserved communities.
The company has a coast-to-coast presence and brings a “plug and play” approach to wireless infrastructure. BroadbandOne has key partnerships with Etheric Networks, bringing fixed wireless services to farms and businesses in Northern California, and Ripple Broadband and FulAir Wireless, where similar services will be deployed in Florida and Louisiana. The company also partners with municipal governments, like Savannah, Georgia, and local contractors to deliver turnkey wireless infrastructure that is optimized for speed and reliability.
58. Quantum Fiber
Quantum Fiber’s Connected Communities team draws on years of experience, helping the company to forge lasting partnerships and deliver solutions that are tailored to any residential community. As a launchpad for modernizing communities, Quantum Fiber prides themselves on giving future builds and existing communities a competitive edge.
Working with future-focused builders, developers, and property owners, Quantum Fiber manages a first-tier fiber backbone, and offers global cyber monitoring, providing their valued partners with the support they need over the long-haul, the company says.
57. Archtop Fiber
Archtop Fiber, a high-speed fiber internet provider, made big gains in the Northeast last year, especially in New York, where the company launched services in Kingston, Saugerties, Rhinebeck, Hudson, Warwick, and Woodstock. With additional operations in New Jersey, and a planned expansion set to grow the company’s footprint to include portions of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Archtop Fiber has also emphasized expanding to underserved rural communities.
Key future goals of the company include rolling out next-generation multi-gigabit services, deepening their commitment to community engagement programs, and strengthening their local hiring drives. Archtop Fiber has also been named the recipient of grants in Massachusetts and recently secured roughly $200 million in new funds from Monroe Capital to continue their expansion efforts in the Northeast.
56. Verizon
Verizon generated $134.8 billion in revenue in 2024 and powers millions of customers, serving countries around the globe and nearly all companies in the Fortune 500. Based in New York City, the company has assembled a world-class team that empowers businesses and customers, meeting demands for mobility, reliable network connectivity, and security.
Pacific Dataport is a satellite middle-mile provider that claims it was founded “by Alaskans, for Alaskans.” The company, a certified Starlink reseller, extends services to enterprise clients, ISPs, government agencies, healthcare providers, schools, and tribal organizations.
Committed to closing Alaska’s digital divide, Pacific Dataport offers satellite solutions like the Nome Gateway, Aurora LEO service, and managed services. The Nome Gateway, described as Pacific Dataport’s key achievement, empowers ISPs across the North Slope and Northwest Alaska by delivering Aurora LEO service to some of the most rural communities in the United States. The company says it represents the largest commercial satellite capacity ever deployed globally, providing over 10 Gbps (symmetrical) of capacity to Nome-area customers.
54. RouteThis
RouteThis has served over 200 companies globally and is attempting to transform Wi-Fi customer experiences by empowering smart-home brands with the ability to deliver Wi-Fi installation, repair, and support services via software solutions and remote support platforms.
Based in Ontario, the company says their products can reduce average handle times, and result in the deployment of fewer truck rolls, along with an increase of average revenue per user. The company has also developed a self-service platform, allowing customers to diagnose and resolve Wi-Fi connectivity issues without having to contact support. The platform turns the subscriber’s device into a mobile technician, providing automated scans and providing customized resolution paths to correct outstanding issues.
Fontier is the largest pure-play fiber ISP in the country. The company provides high-speed internet to over 8 million homes and businesses, with plans to grow that number by another 2 million customers by 2026.
Frontier’s award-winning Broadband for Good and rural expansion initiative won the company recognition in the 2025 Broadband Communities Awards, which saw Frontier take home the 2025 Community Improvement Award. With their efforts to offer alternatives to managed Wi-Fi for MDUs, Frontier has also introduced multi-gig bulk services and the industry’s first Wi-Fi 7, multi-gig bulk community in the country.
52. Geosolv
As a leader in geospatial data capture, network design, and project management for broadband deployment, Geosolv strives to deliver accurate designs while reducing costs and permitting timelines. The company’s partners include ISPs, engineering firms, municipalities, and technology innovators who rely on Geosolv to accelerate broadband deployments through a project’s entire journey, from planning to construction.
Geosolv says they’ll manage the full lifecycle of broadband projects, with an approach that combines field-verified data, intelligent design processes, and deep industry expertise. The company has also delivered results in a diverse range of environments, with urban, suburban, rural deployments.
51. Harry Marketing
Harry Marketing specializes in branding, digital marketing, and strategic communications, with broadband-specific marketing strategies they point to as having driven measurable results. The creative agency also says they have a proven track record helping broadband providers grow, adapt, and lead.
With clients like UTOPIA Fiber, ETI Software, Yellowstone Fiber, and SiFi Networks, Harry Marketing has assisted companies with everything from strategic customer acquisition and brand building to media amplification. The company will be looking to stay ahead of the curve in the year ahead, guiding clients through shifting BEAD policies and regulatory landscapes.
EnerStar says they’re more than a Starlink reseller. The company says they’re also a systems integrator that makes Starlink operational ready, specializing in fleet-wide management of Starlink terminals and OEM development. EnerStar embeds Starlink broadband into vehicles, mobile units, and custom infrastructure, serving commercial enterprises, government agencies, and emergency responders across North America.
49. CONSULTY USA LLC
CONSULTY USA offers end-to-end broadband tech and consulting services. The company manages successful relationships with organizations involved at almost every point in the broadband ecosystem, partnering with data center providers, software-as-a-service providers, fixed wireless access providers, and equipment manufacturers, among many other companies in differing industry subsectors.
Among CONSULTY USA’s key achievements, the firm prides itself on being the first to setup and provide product development and marketing consultancy services regarding broadband services for the commercial customers of a national wireless service provider.
48. CBAN
The Community Broadband Action Network (CBAN) includes 245 members in 37 states. The organization is instrumental in ongoing efforts to bridge digital divides and helps communities to successfully explore and expand local broadband access and adoption.
CBAN also provides training and guidance for communities involved with digital equity initiatives and helps provide resources to make network construction and operations more viable. The organization also has partnerships with other giants in the industry, like the Fiber Broadband Association, the American Public Broadband Association, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, and the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
47. Sonar Software
With a leading BSS/OSS platform, Sonar Software says their platform has enabled dozens of fiber-to-the-home deployments by unifying billing, provisioning, inventory, network management, and support into a single intuitive system. The company also says their platform is purpose-built for regional, rural, and independent broadband providers, and can accelerate service activations and reduce operational overhead.
Additionally, Sonar Software has made a commitment to rural broadband advocacy, offering a BEAD Funding Toolkit and with the rollout of their Bandwidth podcast, which features notable guests from around the industry.
46. Panduit
Panduit is among global leaders in the sphere of network infrastructure solution providers, with a comprehensive portfolio of products and services designed to support broadband providers. As a company, Panduit holds over 2,000 patents around the world, representing their deep commitment to innovation and the company’s drive to develop systems that connect, manage, and protect mission critical systems.
Some of the equipment Panduit provides includes mechanical and fusion splice connectors, telecommunication equipment racks, along with grounding and bonding systems. The company also says they deliver aerial and vault cable management solutions, along with a network mapping system, helping to ensure networks using Panduit products are built and maintained with reliability.
45. CHR Solutions
With engineering services, software solutions, and cybersecurity services designed to deliver end-to-end broadband enablement, CHR Solutions is a solutions provider that says they empower broadband providers to build smarter, facilitating more profitable operations. CHR Solutions has longstanding partnerships with companies like Calix, Esri, and GOCare, and the company has also expanded their strategic ecosystem, partnering with firms like Ciena, TAK Broadband, and Paymentus.
CHR Solutions has also managed thousands of permits, integrating a smart-grid network for a cooperative partner; and the company engineered 1,200 miles of fiber for a Georgia CLEC/IXC, delivering 25,000 fiber passings and securing federal and state grant funding for the project.
United Communications is Middle Tennessee’s largest fiber broadband provider, and has forged strategic partnerships with municipalities, first responders, and electric cooperatives. The company operates 4,800 route miles of fiber optic lines and serves residential and business customers, including enterprise-level organizations, across a footprint that spans 11 counties. United Communications has continued to invest in rural broadband – and even celebrated their 40,000th broadband customer in July of this year.
As the broadband division of Schurz Communications, Schurz Broadband Group supports a network of local ISPs throughout the United States. The company’s fiber internet product, FLIGHT FIBER, is also expanding across the Schurz Broadband Group’s markets. Additionally, the company (also known as SBG) brings together six broadband companies — including Antietam Broadband, Hiawatha Broadband, and Orbitel Communications — which operate independently but benefit from the strategic support of SBG’s broader network.
SBG also has partnerships with home builders, like in Arizona, where they integrate fiber during development construction to create “fiber ready” homes. Additionally, SBG has partnered with municipalities and local developers, like in Vermont, through Burlington Telecom, where they were able to provide the city’s first fiber-to-the-unit apartment building.
42. UTOPIA Fiber
The Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) is a community-owned, open access fiber network that operates in 21 Utah cities and provides business class services to 50 cities. UTOPIA Fiber partners with 19 ISPs, fostering competition and choice. UTOPIA’s network has also grown considerably, posting 20% year-over-year growth and swelling to become the largest open-access network in the nation.
Additionally, in 2025, UTOPIA Fiber completed the Bountiful Fiber network, in Bountiful City, Utah, overcoming a dark-money campaign that sought to derail the effort. All the while, UTOPIA has ranked very high in customer satisfaction ratings, and the network has completed fiber installations to 22 HOAs, boasting seven new footprints recently released.
ETI Software Solutions is a Georgia-based solutions provider that helps broadband providers solve key operational challenges through automated provisioning, service activation, application integration, and device telemetry and management.
This year, the company introduced a cloud-based, low-code, integration-as-a-service (IaaS) solution, reducing the time it takes for telecom providers to integrate their systems from months to weeks. ETI Software Solutions has also announced collaborations with Harmonic, with an integration that ETI Software Solutions says provides robust interoperability with all commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) devices within a fiber network.
40. Synamedia
As a solutions provider, Synamedia has a portfolio with advanced advertising, business analytics, broadband and streaming video platforms, anti-piracy solutions, and video network solutions for processing, distribution, and delivery.
A key product for Synamedia, called Synamedia Gravity, produced a significant milestone for the company with successful deployment in Wyandotte, Michigan, with Wyandotte Municipal Services. According to Synamedia, the deployment showcased Synamedia Gravity’s vendor-agnostic design capabilities, allowing them to manage legacy and next-generation devices (and advanced services) through a single pane of glass.
39. Fibersmith
For thirteen years, Fibersmith has aided broadband providers with their customized approach to engineering, operations, and service. The company, which provides engineering, network design, and software, reports sustained growth and nationwide reach. Fibersmith’s all-in-one B/OSS platform, called Vision Software, affords geospatial process management and third-party integrations, giving providers a single-pane-of-glass to manage operations from. The company plans to continue to support providers in their efforts to secure BEAD funding and has hopes to accelerate the construction process even further with improvements, thereby facilitating more deployments to rural areas.
38. Ripple Fiber
Ripple Fiber has experienced substantial growth in recent months. The fiber internet provider says they’ve created the structure needed to support reaching their ambitious goal of building 1.5 million fiber passings across 15 states over the next half decade. Recent moves have helped further the company’s growth, including the acquisition of BridgeNET Fiber and a merger with HyperFiber. Currently, Ripple Fiber operates across eight states, with plans to announce expansions to two more states by the end of this year.
37. AT&T
AT&T announced they had reached the milestone of 30 million fiber passings in 2025, which is more than halfway to the company’s goal of reaching 60 million fiber passings in the United States.
With the nation’s largest and fastest growing fiber network, AT&T also continues to enhance their wireless network and helps communities stay connected with 5G. The company also maintains a strong commitment to keeping customers connected in the aftermath of disasters, and is transforming first responder communications with First Net, a network that AT&T says is now the nation’s largest for public safety professionals.
36. RV Fiber
RV Fiber provides technology solutions that are tailored to RV parks, which the company says often struggle with connectivity issues. With gig-speed internet, technical support, and software integration allowing for a streamlining of operations, RV Fiber offers services that support business operations and guests. Furthermore, RV Fiber says their solutions are designed to be user friendly with a setup that only takes minutes, according to the company.
35. Brightspeed
Brightspeed is a broadband provider with a continuously expanding fiber network that operates across 20 states, serving customers through a network platform the company says can serve over 7.3 million homes and businesses. The fiber internet provider, which has been nationally recognized for their high-speed internet service, has also successfully chased BEAD program funding, receiving grants in Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin that combine to a total of more than $222 million, and representing well over 73,000 homes and businesses due to be connected once work is complete. The ISP has gone after other public funds too, including in Ohio, where the company is aggressively pursuing their statewide buildout plans.
34. GoNetspeed
GoNetspeed serves customers in a fiber footprint that includes customers in Maine, Alabama, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia. GoNetspeed has built solid partnerships with state leaders, as was demonstrated by their award of $9 million from the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation’s Capital Projects Fund. The company, which is adding thousands of service areas every year, also announced plans to bring their fiber network to 27 Massachusetts communities, backed by a $250 million investment that follows other recent network additions and upgrades in places like New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.
33. ALLO Fiber
ALLO Fiber provides communication services to over 50 communities in Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, and Missouri, including fiber internet. The company engages in robust community outreach and makes a concerted effort to employ veterans, earning the company the 2024 Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award from the U.S. Department of Labor. ALLO Fiber also offers free internet to non-profit organizations through their Community Connect Program, further supporting the communities where they operate.
32. Google Fiber
Customers consistently rate broadband providers poorly for customer satisfaction, but not GFiber. Google’s fiber internet brand cites an 89% rate of customers saying their internet speed met or exceeded expectations, and they also earned the highest JD Power score reported for an American ISP in any region. It was enough to crown GFiber as the 2025 Broadband Provider of the Year, at the Broadband Communities Awards in June.
31. Surf Internet
Surf Internet continues to deliver high speed fiber-optic internet to underserved communities across their Great Lakes area footprint, encompassing areas in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Back in May, the company announced that they’d completed their 200,000th fiber passing, with plans to reach another 75,000 addresses by the end of 2025.
The provider was also the top award getter in a recent round of the Indiana Connectivity Program, an effort managed by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs that strives to connect unserved and underserved communities. Surf Internet also boasts a locally based team of 300 professionals, making them a potent force in the realms of customer care and regional advocacy.
30.Astound
Astound has made significant investments towards expanding their fiber-optic network in 2025, especially in the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania, where Astound has invested over $80 million to reach 315,000 homes and 25,000 businesses by year’s end in 2026. The company also launched their symmetrical 5 Gigabit service in 2024, an offering available for residents and small businesses. The service, supported by eero’s mesh Wi-Fi 7 system, was built to accommodate up to 200 devices at a time and supports lower latency and increased capacity.
29. altafiber
Formerly Cincinnati Bell, altafiber says they’re a leading supplier of fiber services in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas. The brand’s network encompasses over 16,000 route miles throughout the Midwest. In 2025, altafiber has been continuing their mission to reach 400,000 homes with fiber beyond their current footprint, a fact highlighted by altafiber’s work to expand their multi-gig XGS-PON fiber network in new parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.
28. Hawaiian Telcom
Hawaiian Telcom is another brand under altafiber’s umbrella and has earned its place among the Top 100 by partnering with local, state, and county leaders as part of an ambitious push to make Hawaii the first “fully fiber enabled state” by 2026. The effort represents a $1.7 billion investment from Hawaiian Telcom, including over $100 million in funding from state and federal programs. Hawaiian Telcom’s network already reaches over 400,000 locations in the state. Their push in Hawaii now aims to connect the remaining 40% of the state’s homes and businesses.
27. Comcast
Comcast continues to invest in expanding their fiber reach, all while maintaining a commitment to keep services affordable with initiatives like Internet Essentials, which has helped hundreds of thousands of students, senior citizens, veterans and people with disabilities. The program extends low-cost services, digital skills training, and subsidized computers to eligible households, according to Comcast.
In places like Florida, where Comcast is expanding Xfinity and Comcast Business services to 29 counties through 2026, and California, where the company has been awarded millions by the California Public Utilities Commission, Comcast continues to be a giant in the telecom sector despite increased competition and constantly changing market dynamics.
Before expanding to Houston’s market, Blue Stream Fiber solidified its status as a major player in Florida’s market, serving 385,000 residents and 500 communities as of last year. In the months since, Blue Stream Fiber has begun expanding into the Houston market, pledging to work with HOAs, condominium associations (COAs), developers, and builders. The company says Houston’s quick growth was a main catalyst for Blue Stream Fiber’s investments in the Houston area, which has one of the fastest growing markets in the nation with respect to multifamily communities.
25. Lumen
Lumen has adapted their financial strategy, to simplify their capital structure and achieve greater financial flexibility, which will allow the company to position for a new era of network expansion in the AI age. The company, now pitching itself as the trusted network for AI, aims to leverage the scale of their network to help companies deliver metro connectivity, long-haul data transport to their edge cloud, security, managed service, and digital platform capabilities.
24. IQ Fiber
IQ Fiber has remained far from idle in recent months, and completed their acquisition of ThinkBig Networks, which operated a 100% fiber optic network in Maryland. The ISP has a large network footprint in North Florida, in areas like Jacksonville, Gainesville, and Alachua County, and also recently launched services in Savannah, Georgia following an expansion to the area. Additionally in 2025, IQ Fiber launched Business Internet Services, offering businesses a choice between a 1 Gigabit plan for $150 per month, and a 5 Gigabit plan for $250 per month. The company has also been busy working to complete expansions in St. Petersburg, Florida, Charleston, and the Chesapeake Bay region.
Charter Communications is both a leading broadband connectivity company and a cable operator. The company claims to have services available to more than 57 million homes and businesses in 41 states. Offering a suite of advanced communications services through the brand Spectrum, the company has backed their commitment to expanding to underserved or unserved areas with over $7 billion in private investment.
As a result of their customer first philosophy, this year Charter Communications has reported that Spectrum has only become more potent as a competitor due to the company’s Customer Commitment. As a result, Spectrum says they’ve evolved the customer experience with a slate of improvements, including faster installs and more transparency in their pricing.
22. Bluepeak
Bluepeak surpassed 100,000 subscribers in 2024, marking the attainment of a big milestone for the fiber provider that has evolved to serve markets in South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, Oklahoma, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Texas. Denison marked the first community in Texas to see the rollout of Bluepeak’s services. It’s part of an investment totaling more than $100 million investment geared toward expanding Bluepeak’s footprint in Texas and Oklahoma, where the company hopes to reach 100,000 new homes and businesses.
Cox Communications is the largest private broadband company in the United States and possesses wireline and wireless connections that are available to more than 12 million homes and businesses. The company’s network infrastructure, which reaches more than 30 states, also extends advanced cloud, managed IT and fiber-based network solutions, along with support operational applications, to nearly 370,000 businesses.
The company’s business services portfolio includes brandings like Cox Business, Hospitality Network, RapidScale, and Segra. Earlier this year, Cox Communications also announced plans to combine companies with Charter Communications, a move the firm hopes will further position them for success in the years to come.
GCI Communications serves more than 200 communities in Alaska with data, mobile, and voice services. GCI has a fiber-optic network backbone of more than 13,000 miles in Alaska and continues to connect Alaska’s far off communities through efforts like the Aleutians Fiber Project, and with fiber deployments to the sparsely populated tribal communities of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.
The company has worked closely with tribal entities, even going as far as to offer presentations in Yup’ik. The company has also strengthened their wireless footprint in Southeastern Alaska, with work to bolster 5G service in Alaska’s panhandle to communities like Petersburg. All the while, GCI has continued to bolster their existing wireless network with upgrades in communities like Metlakatla and Thorne Bay.
19. Windstream
Windstream’s fiber-based broadband service, Kinetic, serves customers in 18 states with a quality-first approach the company says offers a full suite of advanced communications services. As one of three companies operated by Windstream, Kinetic mission is to be a true community partner in the areas they serve. In addition to Kinetic, Windstream also extends managed cloud communications and security services to mid-to-large enterprises and government entities. Additionally, they offer customized wavelength and dark fiber solutions to carriers, content providers and hyperscalers, according to Windstream.
18. Omni Fiber
OMNI Fiber, backed by Oak Hill Capital, has announced the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars to expand to new markets in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. In August, OMNI Fiber also announced the launch of Omni Mobile, which they described as a wireless service delivered in partnership with Reach. Omni Mobile will offer customers nationwide coverage and 5G speeds at affordable rates, beginning at $15 a month. Omni Fiber’s expansion efforts only seemed to accelerate following their merger with Lit Fiber, formerly the leading fiber provider in Medina County, Ohio.
17. Airebeam
Airebeam, a subsidiary of the Boston Omaha Corporation, saw a 375 percent growth in fiber subscribers thanks to the company’s strategy of providing fiber to mobile home parks. The company’s CEO, Ben Elkins, said mobile home parks in Pinal County provided an opportunity for Airebeam, as they were communities that had been ignored by larger service providers. Airebeam was even able to sign 20-year agreements with some mobile home communities, which had been overlooked, a reality credited to the fact that residents of such communities are often temporary. Complimenting those activities in Airzona are Airebeam’s efforts in Arizona City and Florence, where the ISP has “fibered up” both communities.
16. Great Plains Communications
Great Plains Communications (GPC) says they’re the leading fiber technology provider in the Midwest. GPC provides fiber services like high-speed internet, GPC Cloud Connect, SD-WAN, and video and voice solutions to customers in over 200 communities. The company’s footprint includes states like Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, and Nebraska, and it operates a fiber network spanning more than 19,000 miles, which stretches across 13 states.
15. WiBUZ
WiBUZ is the company behind wibipOS, an API-first, vendor neutral solution built for managed service providers (MSPs), allowing MSPs to orchestrate their operations into one interface, thereby operating under a single-pane-of-glass. The platform has supported MSPs in a variety of use cases and was named 2025 Technology Partner of the Year by Broadband Communities for their impressive work in Jamacia, with the Ministry of Education.
14. Nokia
Nokia, through Nokia Bell Labs, is a technology innovation leader, and describes itself as a pioneer of networks, one that produces open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem. In the United States, Nokia has partnered with both municipalities, like the City of Superior in Wisconsin, which selected Nokia to provide its fiber and IP solutions as part of the ConnectSuperior network. Nokia was also selected as a partner by Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), the largest three-service municipal utility in the United States, to deploy a comprehensive private 5G wireless network that will serve the utility’s 420,000 customers.
13. Tarana Wireless
Tarana’s next generation fixed-wireless access (ngFWA) technology is utilized by over 300 ISPs across 24 countries, according to Tarana Wireless. The company’s ngFWA product, which has had a revolutionary impact on connectivity in underserved areas, is the result of a decade of research and development, and over $400 million of investment.
Tarana also says their G2 platform will allow for denser deployments of gigabit services on a scale, with their G1 platform proving that ngFWA has indeed established itself as a vital pillar of the broadband ecosystem.
12. Nomadix
This summer, Nomadix announced a distribution agreement with TD SYNNEX, bringing Nomadix’s portfolio of connectivity and digital engagement solutions to TD SYNNEX’s network of resellers. According to Nomadix, the move will accelerate the company’s growth in key industries like hospitality, multifamily housing, education, and government. Nomadix, an ASSA ABLOY company, appears poised to continue providing the backbone of visitor-based networks, with a strong foothold as a key player helping businesses to deliver Wi-Fi to properties and venues.
11. Cambium Networks
According to Cambium Networks, the company has experienced a rapid adoption of their managed Wi-Fi and ONE Network solutions in MDU and build-to-rent (BTR) properties worldwide. Success stories with Cambium Networks include Wire Stream, which used Cambium solutions to deliver Wi-Fi to 800 units across five buildings in California, leading to $25,000 a month in new revenue generation. With cloud-managed simplicity, resident-grade performance, demand continues to drive Cambium Networks’ deployments as the company seeks to turn the expectations of residents into real financial gains for owners and operators.
10. Corning
Corning, a leading innovator and producer of optical communications equipment, this year unveiled their “one-stop shop” for customized data center products and services, known as GlassWorks AI, which will help operators build the fiber infrastructure required for generative AI.
Corning’s complete portfolio also includes cable and connectivity solutions, network planning, design, and deployment support. The company was also awarded the FTTH Innovation Award at the 2025 FTTH Conference in Amsterdam, namely for the deployment benefits offered by their Evolv terminals and small form-factor connectors. Their end-to-end fiber solutions also form the backbone of fiber networks around the country, making Corning a key player in the broadband ecosystem.
9. NMHC/RETTC
The National Multifamily Housing Council’s advocacy work is now complimented by the Real Estate Technology & Transformation Center, which aims to build on the NMHC’s legacy of innovation by building new bridges between technology and real estate. RETTC now operates as a year-round space for OPTECH, offering peer-to-peer networking to advance the adoption of real estate technology.
NMHC says the creation of RETTC reflected a pivotal moment for the industry. RETTC’s mission includes uniting multifamily professionals, technology leaders, and housing advocates in the hopes of addressing pressing issues in rental housing today, including housing affordability, operational efficiency, and resident engagement.
With 200 tower sites strategically located to reach underserved or unserved areas, unWired Broadband says they’re the leading rural internet provider in California’s Central Valley and Northern California. Currently, unWired Broadband says they cover over thousands of square miles of territory with fixed wireless, and the company is also investing in rural fiber, as was highlighted by their $10 million investment to bring a next-generation fiber network to Wasco, California. That effort will extend access to nearly 6,000 addresses, according to unWired, with an anticipated completion date in early 2026.
7. Viasat
Viasat, a global communications company, has established itself as a leader in satellite communications technology. This year the company was selected by the Defense Innovation Unit to support the next phase of development in the Hybrid Space Architecture (HSA) project, a collaborative effort with the U.S. Space Systems Command. The company hopes to demonstrate the abilities of inter-network maneuvering, which they say can allow both seamless roaming and interoperability across government and commercial networks.
6. EchoStar
EchoStar has made recent progress with their non-terrestrial network plans for a LEO direct-to-device (D2D) satellite constellation. The global connectivity provider, which completed their acquisition of DISH Network last year, announced the selection of MDA Space Ltd. as their trusted mission partner in August, with an initial contract valued at well over $1 billion. The full initial configuration of EchoStar’s planned LEO constellation will consist of 200 satellites, but the company is also planning for future growth to thousands of satellites to meet anticipated demand. The company also operates brands like Hughes, HughesNet, and Boost Mobile, offering consumer, enterprise, operator and government solutions worldwide.
Mediacom Communications hopes their work to upgrade the company’s fiber-powered network will result in the successful rollout of multi-gigabit symmetrical broadband services to a million locations by the end of 2026. As they continue to grow, Mediacom has kept a focus on efforts to close the digital divide with Xtream Connect, a package offered by Mediacom that is priced affordably for qualifying households participating in federal assistance programs. Additionally, they’ve introduced Mediacom Mobile, bundled with their internet service to offer customers access to their wireless network with a promotion that includes one year of a free unlimited mobile line.
4. EPC
EPC, a broadband construction firm with operations in North Louisiana, has been an outspoken advocate for clear and concise messaging from the federal government regarding the BEAD program. The company has been listed as one of the fastest-growing private firms in the United States. They’ve also integrated advanced planning, permitting, and execution strategies, allowing EPC to deliver on projects faster. In July, the company also announced a play to expand their portfolio with the acquisition of Delta Fiber, another Louisiana-based company.
3. Fiber Broadband Association
The Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) is the nation’s premier fiber broadband advocacy organization, tirelessly advancing the interests of the fiber broadband industry with decisionmakers at the state and federal level. The FBA also engages and advances the fiber broadband sector with events, like Fiber Connect, and through webinars. The FBA also champions the industry through workforce development initiatives like the FBA OpTIC Path, a course that seeks to drive a new generation of future technicians to answer the pressing needs of the fiber broadband industry.
2. Fiber Optic Sensing Association
Fiber-optic sensing technology is used around the world for a variety of use cases, and the Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA) is dedicated to spreading the word about the benefits fiber-optic sensing can provide. Use cases for the technology includes the monitor of vehicle movement, human traffic, digging activity, and seismic activity. Fiber-optic sensing technology can also help maintain networks, allowing operators to detect problems before they become major issues. It’s a point FOSA is keen to convey as they seek to advance the technology to a broad range of industries, including with fiber-optic network operators.
1. Starlink
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, needs little introduction. The company operates over 8,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO), providing connectivity to their users around the globe. At the beginning of 2025, Starlink reported rapid growth in their customer base, growing over 1.5 million within just seven months.
More recently, the company completed their 300th deployment of their Starlink communications satellites, using Falcon 9 rockets to deliver the equipment to orbit. With realignments in the BEAD program, Starlink’s role in the broadband ecosystem of the United States has only enhanced, as officials search for cost-effective ways to deploy high-speed internet to distant rural locations.
