What Surf Internet does

Surf Internet, operating through its legal entity Surf Air Wireless LLC, is a privately held fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet service provider headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, serving residential and business customers across the Great Lakes region — specifically Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company was founded in 2002 and targets underserved rural communities where it competes against incumbent cable and DSL providers, offering symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds up to 8 Gbps on its GPON-based fiber infrastructure. Its product portfolio spans seven residential tiers (SURF 50 through SURF Ultimate at 8 Gbps) priced $35-$95+/mo, three business tiers (500 Mbps to 2 Gbps) with free installation and eero-powered WiFi, plus add-on services including Whole-Home WiFi (powered by Amazon's eero mesh technology), Streaming TV marketplace, VoIP phone, and enterprise/MDU/E-Rate solutions for schools and libraries. Distribution combines a self-serve online shop at shop.surfinternet.com with a business solutions field sales team, a channel partner program, and community outreach for grant-funded rural deployments.

The company's revenue model is predominantly subscription-recurring on monthly billing with no contracts, no data caps, and all-in pricing. Customer acquisition channels include digital self-service, a $50 Refer-a-Friend program, Salute discounts for educators/veterans/first responders, and contract buyout offers up to $300. Surf has raised over $900M cumulatively across equity (Macquarie Capital-led $175M with Bain Capital and Post Road Group), debt facilities (DigitalBridge Credit-led $300M upsized facility with CDPQ, Boundary Street, Liberty Mutual Investments), state grants ($17M Michigan ROBIN, $2.6M Indiana Connectivity Program — the largest in program history), and a $407M inaugural fiber asset-backed securitization in March 2026 executed through wholly owned subsidiary Surf ABS Issuer LLC. As of disclosed metrics the company had 100,000+ homes connected across 600+ communities, 100+ school systems served, a 27,000+ customer base as of early 2023, and a target of 275,000 fiber passings by 2025 with 85,000+ additional homes targeted by 2026.

Name

Surf Internet

Legal name

Surf Air Wireless LLC

Website

https://surfinternet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Surf Internet is a privately held, Elkhart-based fiber-to-the-home ISP serving residential and business customers across rural Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan with symmetrical multi-gigabit plans up to 8 Gbps, targeting underserved communities via subscription billing and state grant-funded deployments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fiber-Optic Internet Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Broadband Internet Access (Consumer/SMB) (HDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Fiber internet services
• Residential broadband
• Business fiber solutions
• Rural broadband expansion
• Symmetrical internet speeds

Headquarters

HQ city

Elkhart

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Residential Internet Services: Monthly subscription fees for fiber-optic internet plans ranging from 50 Mbps to 8 Gbps, with no contracts, no data caps, and all-in pricing including equipment and taxes.
2. Business Fiber Services: Monthly subscriptions for business fiber internet with speeds from 500 Mbps to 2 Gbps symmetrical, including free business-class WiFi and installation.
3. Additional Services: Revenue from Whole-Home WiFi upgrades, streaming TV services, VoIP phone service, and static IP addresses.
4. Enterprise & Government Contracts: Fiber network deployment projects funded through state grant programs including Indiana Connectivity Program and Michigan's ROBIN grant program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Surf Internet provides fiber-optic internet services to residential and business customers in underserved rural communities across the Great Lakes region (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan). The company delivers symmetrical broadband speeds from 50 Mbps up to 8 Gbps with all-in pricing, no contracts, and no data caps. Its portfolio combines residential fiber plans, business/enterprise fiber, whole-home mesh WiFi (via eero), streaming TV, and VoIP phone service.

Product overview

Surf Internet is a regional fiber-optic internet service provider serving the Great Lakes region of Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The company operates as a unified service provider offering tiered residential and business fiber internet plans ranging from 50 Mbps to 8 Gbps symmetrical speeds, with the core residential products being SURF 1 Gig, SURF 2 Gig, and SURF Ultimate plans. The product portfolio includes complementary add-on services such as Whole-Home WiFi (powered by eero mesh technology), Streaming TV, and VOIP Phone Service. Business offerings span from basic business fiber (SURF 500/1 Gig/2 Gig) to enterprise-grade dedicated fiber, multi-dwelling unit solutions, and E-Rate programs for schools and libraries. The company also offers customer loyalty programs including the Salute Program (discounts for teachers, veterans, and first responders) and a Refer-a-Friend referral incentive program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SURF 1 Gig Residential fiber-optic internet plan delivering 1000/1000 Mbps symmetrical upload and download speeds for highly active users with multiple devices, 4K streaming, extreme gaming, and VR. Includes 1 eero 6+ router and all-in pricing.
• SURF 2 Gig Residential fiber-optic internet plan delivering 2000/2000 Mbps symmetrical speeds for tech-savvy households with gaming, VR, live streaming, smart home, and remote work demands. Includes 1 eero 7 router and all-in pricing.
• SURF Ultimate Premium residential fiber-optic plan delivering up to 8000/8000 Mbps symmetrical speeds for future-proof work and play, with no compromises. Includes 1 eero Max 7 router and all-in pricing.
• SURF 500 Business Fiber Business fiber internet plan offering 500 Mbps symmetrical speeds with free business-class WiFi powered by eero and free expert installation.
• SURF 1 Gig Business Fiber Business fiber internet plan offering 1 Gbps symmetrical speeds with free business-class WiFi powered by eero 6+ and free installation.
• SURF 2 Gig Business Fiber Business fiber internet plan offering 2 Gbps symmetrical speeds with free business-class WiFi powered by eero 7 and free installation.
• Enterprise Fiber Service Dedicated fiber internet solutions for enterprise customers requiring high-capacity, reliable connectivity for multi-location and mission-critical operations.
• Multi-Dwelling Units (MDU) Fiber Fiber connectivity solutions for multi-dwelling properties including apartments and condominiums.
• K-12 & Libraries (E-Rate) Fiber Fiber connectivity services for K-12 schools and libraries under the federal E-Rate program, serving over 100 school systems.
• Whole-Home WiFi Mesh WiFi service powered by eero TrueMesh technology, including up to 3 eero devices (eero 6+, eero 7, or eero Max 7) installed by Surf technicians for wall-to-wall home coverage.
• Streaming TV Streaming TV service offered through partnerships with top streaming providers, packaged at a lower cost than traditional cable.
• Phone Service (VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocol home phone service with domestic calling to the 48 Continental United States and Canada, including emergency 911 service.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25x faster upload speeds compared to major cable providers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• eero (Amazon Technologies, Inc.)coreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership providing eero 6+, eero 7, and eero Max 7 WiFi routers for whole-home WiFi coverage included with fiber internet plans.
• Michigan ROBIN Grant ProgramflagshipOthersState grant program providing nearly $17 million for fiber network expansion in Livingston County, Michigan, connecting 3,600+ locations.
• Indiana Connectivity ProgramflagshipOthersState broadband program providing $2.6 million (largest in program history) to expand fiber access to 548 addresses across 13 counties.
• Next Level Connection Broadband Grant ProgramflagshipOthersIndiana state grant program for rural broadband expansion; Surf Internet selected to expand fiber to rural homes requiring Right of Entry agreements.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Midco: Midco is a regional cable and fiber broadband provider serving the Upper Midwest with similar geography to Surf Internet. While it serves some overlapping markets, it has a broader cable legacy footprint alongside growing fiber investments.
• Cincinnati Bell (altafiber): Altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell) operates fiber networks across Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, with geographical adjacency to Surf Internet's territory. While more urban-focused and broader in scope, it competes for similar regional fiber customers and pursues a comparable symmetrical multi-gig strategy.

Direct peers

• WOW! (WideOpenWest): WOW! is a regional broadband provider offering fiber and cable internet across the Midwest and Southeast, including parts of Michigan and Indiana where Surf Internet operates. Competes directly in similar geography with overlapping residential and SMB customers.
• Ziply Fiber: Ziply Fiber is a regional fiber ISP in the Pacific Northwest operating FTTH networks in rural and suburban communities. It shares Surf Internet's focus on multi-gig symmetrical fiber, underserved markets, and PE-backed expansion strategy.
• Metronet: Metronet is a regional fiber-to-the-home ISP serving the Midwest and South with similar gigabit+ symmetrical speed offerings and aggressive multi-state expansion. It is one of the closest direct comparables to Surf Internet in business model, customer segments, and competitive positioning in rural and suburban fiber markets.
• Brightspeed: Brightspeed operates a fiber broadband network across 20 states with focus on underserved rural and small-town markets following its acquisition of Lumen's ILEC assets. It mirrors Surf Internet's rural FTTH strategy and target customer profile.
• Vexus Fiber: Vexus Fiber operates fiber-to-the-home networks in underserved communities across Texas, Louisiana, and the Midwest. Shares Surf Internet's PE-backed model, rural expansion strategy, and symmetrical multi-gig speed positioning.
• TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom (Telephone and Data Systems) operates fiber broadband networks across rural and small-town America. It is comparable to Surf Internet in customer segment, fiber technology, and regional/rural market focus, with similar BEAD-driven expansion opportunity.
• Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications (now part of Searchlight Capital/TPG) is a fiber-focused regional telecom serving rural and mid-sized markets across 20+ states. Its FTTH expansion and target customer profile closely parallel Surf Internet's strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Frontier Communications: Frontier Communications is a large incumbent ILEC aggressively expanding FTTH across its 25-state footprint with significant overlap with Surf Internet's Great Lakes geography. While much larger and broader in scope, Frontier is a key competitor and comparable in rural fiber deployment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/surf_internet
• Facebookfacebook.com/surffiberinternet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/surfinternet
• Instagraminstagram.com/surf_internet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surf Internet