Race Communication
Race Communications is a privately held California-based 100% fiber-to-the-home internet service provider offering symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps to residential and small-business customers across more than 50 California markets, funded by Oak Hill Capital and AB Private Credit Investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersSouth San Francisco, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Race Communication does
Race Communications is a privately held California-based fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet service provider founded in 1994, operating as the state's leading independently owned 100% FTTH carrier. The company builds, owns, and operates end-to-end fiber-optic infrastructure using GPON architecture capable of delivering symmetrical upload/download speeds up to 10 Gbps to residential and small-business customers. Its network footprint spans more than 50 California communities — including Lancaster, Bakersfield, Fresno, Madera, Atwater, Merced, Modesto, Porterville, Chico, Ridgecrest, and Palmdale — with a Bay Area beachhead added via the 2025 acquisition of Atherton Fiber. Cumulative infrastructure investment exceeds $650 million, with an additional $200 million earmarked for 2026 network expansion across 25+ cities.
The product portfolio is centered on residential fiber tiers (Internet 500, Gigabit, 5 Gigabit, and 10 Gigabit — the latter being California's first residential 10G service), with complementary home phone ($10/month) and business fiber/phone services. All plans include symmetrical speeds, unlimited data without throttling, free professional installation, and free Wi-Fi 6 GigaSpire routers, supported by the Race CommandIQ mobile app for network management. Business customers access the same infrastructure at speeds up to 10 Gbps with net-20 billing and dedicated inside sales coverage.
Race generates revenue primarily through monthly recurring subscriptions on residential and SMB fiber plans, with supplemental hardware and add-on revenue from mesh Wi-Fi extenders ($5/month per unit), backup batteries ($149-$299 one-time), and a $9.95/month Tech Assure fee. The company goes to market via direct-to-consumer online ordering on race.com, inside sales (877-722-3833), field installation crews, and community engagement driven by deep municipal partnerships — most notably the City of Lancaster, which became California's first 100%-fiber city through Race's deployment of 42,000+ connections. CEO Raul Alcaraz leads the founder-controlled, privately held company, which is backed by Oak Hill Capital Partners and AB Private Credit Investors following a $500 million funding event in September 2024.
Race Communication firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Race Communication
- Legal name
- Race Communications
- Website
- https://race.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Race Communications is a privately held California-based 100% fiber-to-the-home internet service provider offering symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps to residential and small-business customers across more than 50 California markets, funded by Oak Hill Capital and AB Private Credit Investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Race Communication industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fiber Internet and Telecommunications Services
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers (HDAIABAC), Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators (HDAIACAB), Residential Broadband CPE (DSL/Cable/Fiber Gateways) (HDAFAIAA)
Keywords
Where Race Communication is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Race Communication business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Residential Fiber Internet: Recurring monthly subscription revenue from residential fiber internet plans (Internet 500, Gigabit, 5 Gigabit, 10 Gigabit). Plans include free installation, free GigaSpire router, unlimited data, no contracts. Pricing varies by community and speed tier, ranging from entry-level to premium multigigabit tiers.
- Home Phone Service: Recurring monthly subscription from home phone service at $10/month (with Race fiber internet). Includes unlimited inbound and outbound calls within North America, call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, call blocking, and caller ID. International calling available at low rates from $0.05/minute. Optional backup batteries available for purchase ($149 for 8hr, $299 for 24hr).
- Business Fiber Internet & Phone: Recurring monthly subscription from business fiber internet (speeds up to 10 Gbps) and business phone service ($35/month). Business phone includes calling rates starting from $0.05/minute, call forwarding, and number porting. Billing terms operate on net-20 basis for business invoices. No contracts, no data caps, no hidden fees for business customers.
- Optional Add-Ons and Hardware: Additional revenue from optional mesh Wi-Fi extender add-ons ($5/month per unit), optional backup battery for home phone ($149-$299 one-time purchase), and optional services. Tech Assure Fee of $9.95/month noted in ordering process.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Internet 500: Entry-level fiber plan for lighter households with 500 Mbps symmetrical speeds |
| Subscription | Monthly | Gigabit Internet: Most popular plan with 1 Gbps symmetrical speeds for most households ($69.90/month) |
| Subscription | Monthly | 5 Gigabit Internet: Premium plan with 5 Gbps symmetrical speeds for power users |
| Subscription | Monthly | 10 Gigabit Internet: Ultra-premium fastest residential plan in California at 10 Gbps symmetrical |
| Subscription | Monthly | Home Phone Unlimited: Add-on landline service at $10/month with unlimited North America calling |
| Subscription | Monthly | Business Phone: Business landline service at $35/month with low calling rates |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Race Communication product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Race Communications sells 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet service to residential and business customers across more than 50 California markets, with symmetrical speeds from 500 Mbps up to 10 Gbps, unlimited data, no contracts, and free installation and Wi-Fi 6 router. The company also offers home phone service ($10/month) and business phone service ($35/month), supported by a dedicated fiber optic network and the Race CommandIQ mobile app.
Product overview
Race Communications is a California-based 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) provider offering a unified connectivity platform. The core offering centers on fiber internet across multiple speed tiers (Internet 500, Gigabit, 5 Gigabit, and 10 Gigabit), complemented by home phone and business services. Additional value comes from the Internet Experience add-on which includes managed Wi-Fi 6 router hardware, optional mesh extenders, and the Race CommandIQ mobile app for network management. The company operates as a single-brand portfolio targeting both residential and business customers across California communities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Residential Fiber Internet 100% fiber-to-the-home internet service for California households delivering symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 10 Gbps (with tiered plans at 500 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and 10 Gbps), unlimited data with no caps or throttling, free professional installation, free GigaSpire Wi-Fi 6 router, no contracts, and no early termination fees.
- Home Phone Residential landline phone service bundled with Race fiber internet at $10/month, providing unlimited inbound and outbound calling within North America, low international rates from $0.05/minute, call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, caller ID, and call blocking.
- Business Phone Business-grade landline phone service at $35/month with calling rates starting from $0.05/minute, call forwarding, call transfer, and number porting capabilities for small and medium businesses.
- Business Fiber Internet Fiber internet service for California small and medium businesses with symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps, unlimited data, no data caps or throttling, transparent pricing without contracts, and dedicated local business sales and support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Connected over 42,000 homes and businesses in Lancaster, CA since 2023, making Lancaster the first city in California with 100% fiber internet access
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Race Communication
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Race Communication technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Race Communication partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- City of LancastercoreRace Communications formed a strategic partnership with the City of Lancaster, CA to deploy 100% fiber internet infrastructure across the city. Since first serving customers in 2023, Race connected over 42,000 homes and businesses, making Lancaster the first city in California with access to 100% fiber internet at speeds up to 10 gigabits. The partnership has included joint community initiatives such as annual backpack giveaways, Thanksgiving turkey distributions, community sponsorships, and the public Wi-Fi initiative PoppyFi. The city's cooperation enabled deeper community investment, job creation, and economic growth.
- California Municipalities (Atwater, Madera, Bakersfield, Merced, Fresno, Modesto, Porterville, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, San Diego County, Southern California)coreRace Communications has established strategic municipal partnerships across 25+ California cities and regions for fiber network deployment. Active partnerships include Atwater (service now live in initial areas), Madera (construction underway for 9,000+ locations), Bakersfield (ground-breaking for 50,000+ locations), and expansion announcements for Fresno, Merced, Modesto, Porterville, San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, San Diego County, and Southern California. Municipalities interested in joining Race's growing network can learn more at race.com.
- Atherton FibercoreRace Communications acquired Atherton Fiber in 2025, strengthening its Bay Area presence and accelerating its statewide fiber deployment across California. This acquisition expanded Race's footprint in the San Francisco Bay Area and contributed to the company's over 50-market presence across California.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Race Communication competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Google Fiber: Google Fiber is a tech-backed fiber ISP offering gigabit and multi-gig residential service. It is a comparable FTTH operator at greater scale and with deeper capital, but operates in limited metros and does not target California's Tier 2/3 underserved markets where Race focuses. Represents the technology-forward, customer-experience-led fiber segment.
- Frontier Communications: Frontier is a publicly traded fiber ISP with a large multi-state FTTH footprint, including parts of California. It directly competes in markets where both companies offer fiber, but operates at much greater scale nationally and offers voice, video, and fiber bundles beyond Race's narrower California portfolio.
- Spectrum (Charter Communications): Charter's Spectrum is a national cable broadband incumbent with significant California footprint and emerging fiber/multi-gig offerings. Race's homepage comparison explicitly names Spectrum as a primary competitor. Different last-mile technology (HFC vs. FTTH) and bundled TV/mobile offerings create a tiered competitive dynamic.
- Xfinity (Comcast): Xfinity is Comcast's consumer broadband brand, a national cable incumbent with deep California presence and growing fiber overbuild. Named explicitly as a Race competitor on Race's homepage. Competes on bundle (TV/mobile/home security) and brand, but generally offers hybrid fiber/coax versus Race's pure FTTH.
- AT&T Fiber: AT&T is a national telecom incumbent with multi-gig fiber offerings (Internet 300/500/1000/2000/5000) across California. Race explicitly competes against AT&T in the same geographies, but AT&T offers broader bundle (mobile, TV) and has substantially greater capital and customer base. Race's homepage comparison table names AT&T as a primary competitor.
Regional players
- Ziply Fiber: Ziply Fiber is a privately held regional fiber ISP serving the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana). It mirrors Race's playbook: aggressive FTTH buildout in underserved Tier 2/3 markets, multi-gig tiers, and PE-style capital deployment — making it one of the closest business-model peers despite its different geography.
Direct peers
- Metronet: Metronet is a PE-backed (KKR) regional fiber ISP rapidly building FTTH across the Midwest and South. It is a direct peer to Race on business model: aggressive greenfield fiber buildouts, multi-gig residential tiers, and PE-driven expansion capital — though operating in a different geographic region.
- Sonic: Sonic is a California-based independent fiber ISP offering gigabit and multi-gig fiber to residential and business customers. It is the closest direct peer to Race: similar independent ownership posture, California focus, FTTH deployments in underserved markets, and competitive positioning against AT&T/Spectrum. Comparable in scale and target customer segments.
- Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications (now Searchlight Capital/TPG-owned) is a regional fiber/telecom operator that has aggressively upgraded its network to FTTH. Comparable to Race as a multi-state fiber ISP pursuing rural/underserved markets, with similar subscriber scale and a recent PE-backed transformation.
Emerging players
- Ting Internet: Ting Internet (a Tucows subsidiary) is an emerging fiber ISP building gigabit FTTH in select U.S. cities. It shares Race's emphasis on customer experience, transparent pricing, and symmetrical speeds, but operates at materially smaller scale and in fewer markets. Comparable as a smaller, independent, customer-focused FTTH operator.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Race Communication social profiles
Digital presenceRace Communication financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Race Communication leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Race Communication subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Race Communication funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Race Communication M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Race Communication
What does Race Communication do?
Race Communications sells 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet service to residential and business customers across more than 50 California markets, with symmetrical speeds from 500 Mbps up to 10 Gbps, unlimited data, no contracts, and free installation and Wi-Fi 6 router. The company also offers home phone service ($10/month) and business phone service ($35/month), supported by a dedicated fiber optic network and the Race CommandIQ mobile app.
Is Race Communication a public or private company?
Race Communication is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Race Communication founded?
Race Communication was founded in 1994. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Race Communication based?
Race Communication is headquartered in South San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Race Communication make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Residential Fiber Internet is the primary driver. The others are home Phone Service, business Fiber Internet & Phone and optional Add-Ons and Hardware.
Who are Race Communication's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Google Fiber, Frontier Communications, Spectrum (Charter Communications), Xfinity (Comcast) and AT&T Fiber. Ziply Fiber is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Metronet, Sonic and Consolidated Communications. Ting Internet is listed as an emerging player.
Does Race Communication have an API?
No public API is recorded for Race Communication.
What industry is Race Communication in?
Race Communication's product category is Fiber Internet and Telecommunications Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIADAE, Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers), with a secondary code of HDAIABAC, Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP/FTTH) Broadband Providers. Its NAICS code is 5171 and its SIC code is 4813.