WANRack
WANRack is a private, CBRE-backed fiber infrastructure company that builds dedicated private fiber WANs primarily for K-12 school districts, with additional Open Access Networks for municipalities and, following its 2025 merger with Gateway Fiber, residential and business fiber internet across 25 U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersLenexa, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What WANRack does
WANRack, LLC is a private fiber-optic infrastructure company headquartered in the Kansas City metropolitan area (Overland Park, Kansas), founded in 2005 and operating under the consolidated brand "WANRack Powered by Gateway Fiber" following its announced 2025 merger with Gateway Fiber. The company engineers, constructs, and maintains dedicated private fiber Wide Area Networks (WANs) — most prominently for K-12 public school districts — alongside Open Access Networks for counties and municipalities, middle-mile and last-mile fiber infrastructure, and (post-merger) residential and business fiber internet under the Gateway Fiber and Kwikom brands across an aggregate of 25 states. Its core technology is dedicated, non-oversubscribed Layer 2 fiber with 12 homerun fibers per site back to a hub, marketed at fixed monthly prices with unlimited bandwidth growth over long-term contracts.
WANRack generates revenue through three primary streams: recurring monthly charges for dedicated private fiber WAN services to school districts and other institutional customers; E-Rate-funded services where the federal program pays WANRack directly for the covered portion of costs (with discounts ranging from 40-90% depending on district poverty level and urban/rural status); and government broadband infrastructure grants, such as the $2.8 million NTIA Internet for All award received in June 2023 for Central Florida middle-mile construction. Go-to-market is exclusively direct enterprise sales via FCC Form 470/RFP competitive bidding processes, supplemented by participation in industry events (GAMEIS, ISTE LIVE, FIBERCONNECT, Florida Broadband Summit) and content marketing through webinars, case studies, and an active YouTube channel. The company is privately held, backed by CBRE Investment Management's infrastructure fund, and serves more than 500,000 students across 232+ installed fiber WANs with a stated 99% customer retention rate.
Operationally, WANRack's competitive positioning rests on E-Rate program expertise, permanent fiber infrastructure that creates high switching costs for districts, and a multi-decade veteran management team (200+ years of combined telecom experience). Following the February 2025 Gateway Fiber merger announcement — subject to regulatory approval — the combined platform integrates institutional fiber WANs with residential and SMB broadband, positioning the company as a multi-vertical, multi-state fiber developer and operator. The KwiKom Communications acquisition (completed February 2023) had previously extended the company into residential and commercial fiber in Kansas, and the CBRE-backed Gateway combination scales that thesis nationally.
WANRack firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WANRack
- Legal name
- WANRack, LLC
- Website
- https://wanrack.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- WANRack is a private, CBRE-backed fiber infrastructure company that builds dedicated private fiber WANs primarily for K-12 school districts, with additional Open Access Networks for municipalities and, following its 2025 merger with Gateway Fiber, residential and business fiber internet across 25 U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WANRack industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecommunications Infrastructure / Fiber Optic Networks
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Telecommunications (517), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)
- SIC
- Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise LAN/WAN & SD-WAN Services (BPAEAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE), Fiber Backhaul to Towers & Small Cells (Fronthaul/Midhaul/Backhaul) (HDAIAKAK), Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)
Keywords
Where WANRack is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lenexa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
WANRack business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fiber WAN Services: Monthly recurring charges for dedicated private fiber WAN connectivity to school districts and other customers. Pricing is fixed over contract term with unlimited bandwidth growth at no additional cost.
- E-Rate Funded Services: Services partially or majority-funded through the federal E-Rate program, with the E-Rate program directly paying WANRack for covered services and customers paying only the portion not covered by E-Rate discounts.
- Government Grants: Broadband infrastructure grants from government programs such as the U.S. government's Internet for All Initiative for middle-mile fiber construction projects.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Private Fiber WAN with unlimited bandwidth at fixed cost |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
WANRack product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WANRack is a turn-key middle-mile and last-mile fiber infrastructure provider that engineers, constructs, and maintains dedicated private fiber-optic Wide Area Networks (WANs), primarily for K-12 school districts. Each site connects to a hub via 12 dedicated homerun fibers with Layer 2 connectivity, no oversubscription, and unlimited bandwidth at a fixed monthly price. The company also delivers E-Rate-funded Special Construction services, Open Access Networks for counties/municipalities, backhaul for wireless carriers, and (via its Gateway Fiber and Kwikom brands) residential and commercial fiber internet.
Product overview
WANRack Powered by Gateway Fiber is a unified fiber network platform offering private fiber WAN networks for K-12 school districts (its original core product) alongside residential and business internet services under the Gateway Fiber and Kwikom brands. The company's portfolio includes: (1) Private Fiber WAN Networks with dedicated, non-oversubscribed bandwidth for schools, (2) E-Rate Fiber Services helping schools leverage federal funding for network construction, (3) Open Access Networks for counties and municipalities, (4) Middle Mile and Last Mile Infrastructure services, (5) Kwikom residential/commercial fiber in Kansas, and (6) Gateway Fiber residential/business internet in Missouri, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and North Dakota. Following the 2025 merger, these products are being consolidated under the combined WANRack/Gateway Fiber platform serving 25 states.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Fiber WAN Networks Custom-built, dedicated, non-oversubscribed private fiber-optic Wide Area Networks (WAN) for K-12 school districts and other customers; each site has 12 dedicated homerun fibers to a hub with Layer 2 connectivity, fixed monthly pricing, and unlimited bandwidth growth (up to 100G).
- E-Rate Fiber Services Certified E-Rate service provider assistance guiding schools and libraries through the federal E-Rate funding program, including Form 471 filing and Special Construction funding to build private fiber networks at significantly reduced costs.
- Open Access Networks (OAN)
Quantifiable outcome
- 500,000+ students served through WANRack fiber networks
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use WANRack
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
WANRack technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
WANRack partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Gateway FibercoreWANRack announced a merger with Gateway Fiber, creating a combined broadband fiber network platform. The merger combines WANRack's proven E-Rate fiber networks trusted by districts nationwide with Gateway Fiber's residential and business internet services. The combined entity serves customers across multiple states with Gateway Fiber operating in Missouri, Minnesota, Massachusetts, and North Dakota, while WANRack serves school districts across 24 states with growing residential and commercial fiber business under the Kwikom brand in Kansas. The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2025 subject to regulatory approvals.
- KwiKom CommunicationscoreWANRack completed the acquisition of KwiKom Communications in February 2023, expanding the company's reach and deepening its mission to connect communities through reliable, future-ready fiber solutions. The acquisition brought the growing residential and commercial fiber business under the Kwikom brand in Kansas into the WANRack family.
- EducationSuperHighwayminorWANRack references EducationSuperHighway as a non-profit organization that provides research, advocacy, and consultation services to states and school districts regarding broadband connectivity. WANRack recommends district customers utilize EducationSuperHighway's free resources, tools, and RFP templates for E-Rate processes.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
WANRack competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zayo Group: Zayo operates a large fiber backbone and offers enterprise wavelength, dark fiber, and E-Rate-eligible connectivity to school districts and enterprises, competing with WANRack on middle-mile and dedicated fiber WAN deals.
- Frontier Communications: Frontier is aggressively expanding its fiber footprint across rural and suburban markets, competing for E-Rate-funded school district contracts and Open Access Network municipal projects similar to WANRack.
- TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom operates fiber networks in rural and small-town markets with school district and municipal broadband customers, overlapping significantly with WANRack's geographic and customer profile.
- Crown Castle: Crown Castle operates extensive fiber assets for wireless backhaul and enterprise services, with overlapping capability on fiber-to-the-school and middle-mile infrastructure projects where WANRack competes.
- Lumen Technologies: Lumen (formerly CenturyLink) is a major incumbent fiber carrier with E-Rate-eligible services, dedicated WAN offerings, and quantum fiber FTTH that competes with WANRack for school district contracts and enterprise fiber customers.
- Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications (now private, PE-owned) provides fiber broadband to rural and small-town markets with school district and municipal customers that overlap with WANRack's footprint.
Direct peers
- Metronet: Metronet is a rapidly expanding fiber-to-the-home and business operator pursuing municipal and community broadband markets overlapping with WANRack's Open Access Network and Kwikom residential fiber offerings.
- Education Networks of America (ENA): ENA provides managed connectivity, network services, and E-Rate-supported broadband to K-12 schools and libraries nationwide, directly competing with WANRack for the same school district RFPs and E-Rate-funded Special Construction projects.
Emerging players
- Brightspeed: Brightspeed is a PE-backed fiber overbuilder pursuing multi-state rural and suburban FTTH deployments, with growing K-12 and municipal market presence that competes with WANRack's fiber builds.
Regional players
- ENA Fiber (formerly SVR Communications / Magellan Advisors): Regional fiber-to-the-school and Open Access Network builders serving community broadband markets, comparable to WANRack's county and municipal Open Access Network deployment model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WANRack social profiles
Digital presenceWANRack compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
WANRack financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WANRack leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
WANRack subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
WANRack funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WANRack 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 WANRack
What does WANRack do?
WANRack is a turn-key middle-mile and last-mile fiber infrastructure provider that engineers, constructs, and maintains dedicated private fiber-optic Wide Area Networks (WANs), primarily for K-12 school districts. Each site connects to a hub via 12 dedicated homerun fibers with Layer 2 connectivity, no oversubscription, and unlimited bandwidth at a fixed monthly price. The company also delivers E-Rate-funded Special Construction services, Open Access Networks for counties/municipalities, backhaul for wireless carriers, and (via its Gateway Fiber and Kwikom brands) residential and commercial fiber internet.
Is WANRack a public or private company?
WANRack is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was WANRack founded?
WANRack was founded in 2005. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is WANRack based?
WANRack is headquartered in Lenexa, United States, in the North America region.
How does WANRack make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fiber WAN Services are the primary driver. The others are E-Rate Funded Services and government Grants.
Who are WANRack's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zayo Group, Frontier Communications, TDS Telecom, Crown Castle, Lumen Technologies and Consolidated Communications. Direct peers are Metronet and Education Networks of America (ENA). Brightspeed is listed as an emerging player. ENA Fiber (formerly SVR Communications / Magellan Advisors) is listed as a regional player.
Does WANRack have an API?
No public API is recorded for WANRack.
What industry is WANRack in?
WANRack's product category is Telecommunications Infrastructure / Fiber Optic Networks. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAEAEAD, Enterprise LAN/WAN & SD-WAN Services, with a secondary code of HDAIADAE, Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers). Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4899.