What FOCUS Broadband does

FOCUS Broadband is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative (legally Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation, DBA FOCUS Broadband) that has delivered communications services to rural eastern North Carolina since 1956. It operates a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network across ten counties—Brunswick, Pender, Chowan, Perquimans, Columbus, Duplin, Hoke, Robeson, Scotland, and Bladen—delivering residential and business internet with Gigabit speeds and multi-gigabit capabilities in select areas.

The company's core product is fiber broadband, sold via monthly subscriptions and bundled with video (proprietary MergeTV streaming service, traditional digital cable, and DIRECTV), voice (IP-based home phone plus IP-PBX and hosted voice for businesses), wireless mobile plans, and security/home automation. Underlying infrastructure includes DOCSIS cable-hybrid upgrades transitioning to full fiber construction, with managed business services (data protection/restoration, business-class broadband, wireless backup, surveillance) layered on top. Pricing is subscription-based, with equipment rental fees for set-top boxes, Wi-Fi routers, and the proprietary MergeTV Evo Force 1 streaming box.

FOCUS Broadband's revenue model is predominantly recurring subscription income from residential and business members, supplemented by equipment rental and one-time professional installation fees. The cooperative is funded through a combination of operating cash flow, member capital, and substantial government grant programs—most notably USDA ReConnect and North Carolina GREAT/DIT broadband grants—totaling over $36 million in awards since 2020 alongside a self-funded $100 million Brunswick County fiber build. Distribution is hybrid: website self-service, phone-based inside sales, four physical customer care centers, and a dedicated business solutions team serving enterprise and government accounts across the region.

Name

FOCUS Broadband

Legal name

Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation

Website

https://focusbroadband.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FOCUS Broadband is a member-owned cooperative operating a Fiber-to-the-Home network across ten eastern North Carolina counties, delivering bundled internet, video, voice, wireless, and security services to residential and business customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications & Broadband Internet Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Operators (HDAIACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG), Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ), Rural & Regional ISPs (HDAIADAI)

Keywords

• Fiber optic internet
• Broadband services
• Cable television
• Telecommunications cooperative
• Rural broadband

Headquarters

HQ city

Shallotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Internet Services: Subscription-based fiber internet service providing residential and business broadband connectivity. Revenue from monthly internet service fees at various speed tiers including 1 Gig and multi-gigabit options.
2. Video Services: Cable television services including traditional digital cable, MergeTV streaming service, and DIRECTV options. Revenue from monthly TV package subscriptions and premium channel add-ons.
3. Voice Services: Home phone and business voice services including IP-PBX and hosted voice solutions for business customers. Revenue from monthly service fees and per-minute long distance charges.
4. Security & Home Automation: Residential and business security systems with monitoring services. Revenue from monthly security service fees and equipment rental.
5. Wireless Services: Mobile wireless plans offered to residential customers. First wireless line free promotion available.
6. Managed Services & Equipment: Business managed services including data protection, restoration, and professional IT solutions. Equipment rental fees for set-top boxes, Wi-Fi routers, and streaming devices.
7. Government Grants: USDA ReConnect grants, GREAT grants, and Community Connect grants funding fiber network expansion to rural underserved areas. These are non-revenue grant programs that fund infrastructure construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FOCUS Broadband delivers fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet, video, voice, wireless, and security/home automation services to residential and business customers across ten counties in eastern North Carolina. Core offerings include Gigabit fiber internet, MergeTV streamed cable TV and traditional digital cable, IP-based home and business phone, mobile wireless plans, and managed business services (data protection, IP-PBX, hosted voice, security). The cooperative owns and operates its fiber network infrastructure and serves customers via website, phone sales, and four physical customer care centers.

Product overview

FOCUS Broadband is a telecommunications cooperative providing bundled communications services across Eastern North Carolina. The company operates as a platform-plus-modules provider, offering fiber optic internet as the core infrastructure product, complemented by video services (MergeTV streamed TV and Traditional Cable), voice services (Home Phone and Business Voice solutions), wireless mobile plans, and security & home automation. Business customers have access to additional managed services including Data Protection & Restoration, IP-PBX Voice, and Hosted Voice. The product portfolio centers on residential and business internet connectivity with speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second via fiber-to-the-home technology, augmented by streaming video integration with major platforms (DIRECTV, Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, etc.) through the MergeTV service. Premium add-ons include Cloud DVR recording, Managed Wi-Fi services, and security solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FOCUS Broadband Internet High-speed fiber optic internet service delivering residential and business connectivity with speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second, with multi-gig capabilities available in select areas across eastern North Carolina.
• MergeTV Streamed cable TV service allowing customers to view FOCUS Broadband's channel lineup over their internet connection on smart TVs or streaming devices without a cable box. Features include Cloud DVR, Start Over, Look Back, and TiVo+ channels.
• Traditional Cable TV Digital cable television service delivered via traditional cable box infrastructure for residential customers who prefer a set-top box experience.
• DIRECTV Options Satellite and internet-streamed TV packages offered to FOCUS Broadband customers, including Genre Packs (MySports, MyEntertainment, MyNews, MiEspañol), with packages beginning at $89.99/month.
• Home Phone Residential telephone service delivered via traditional switched technology and Internet Protocol (IP) technology, providing local and long-distance calling with various pricing plans.
• Wireless Mobile Plans Mobile wireless service plans offered to residential customers, with the first wireless line free for a limited time promotion.
• Security & Home Automation Residential security and home automation service including security plans, equipment options, monitoring, cameras, and smart home integration capabilities.
• Business Class Broadband Enhanced business-grade internet service with additional features beyond standard residential broadband for business customers across eastern North Carolina.
• IP-PBX Voice Business telephone service using IP-based private branch exchange technology, providing advanced call management features for enterprise and mid-market customers.
• Hosted Voice Cloud-based business voice solution providing scalable telephone capabilities without on-premise hardware for business customers.
• Data Protection & Restoration Managed data backup and restoration services for business customers to protect and recover critical business information.
• Business Security & Surveillance Security and video surveillance solutions designed for business properties, including security plans and monitoring.
• Business Wireless Backup Backup wireless connectivity solution providing business continuity in case of primary internet connection failure for business customers.
• Business Wi-Fi Points Commercial-grade Wi-Fi coverage solutions for business customers requiring multi-access-point wireless networks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rural broadband expansion to over 18,000 households and businesses across 10 North Carolina counties
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Four County EMCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband partnered with Four County Electric Membership Corporation to help bring faster internet to Duplin County. This collaboration leverages the electric co-op's infrastructure and community relationships to extend broadband service to rural underserved areas.
• Pender County SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband partnered with Pender County Schools to bring internet connectivity to students during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting remote learning initiatives in the community.
• Columbus County SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband partnered with Columbus County Schools to bring internet to students during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing connectivity support for remote learning.
• UNC Health Children's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband and NC Broadband Co-ops partnered with UNC Health Children's Hospital to support rural children's health programs through technology and connectivity initiatives.
• BAND-NCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband and BAND-NC awarded $5,000 to Duplin County to create a digital inclusion plan, supporting efforts to increase broadband access and digital literacy.
• Foundation for Rural ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFOCUS Broadband participates in Foundation for Rural Service scholarship programs, providing additional opportunities for graduating seniors in the service area to receive financial assistance for higher education.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brightspeed: Brightspeed is a direct peer — a major fiber overbuilder serving rural and mid-sized markets across the Southeast and Midwest, including North Carolina. It was a co-recipient of NC GREAT grants and is actively building FTTH in FOCUS Broadband's footprint, competing head-to-head for residential and business fiber customers.
• Lumos: Lumos is a direct peer — a fiber-to-the-home provider focused on rural and mid-sized communities across the Carolinas and Virginia. Like FOCUS, it operates a regional fiber network targeting underserved markets, with comparable gigabit speed tiers and bundled service offerings.
• TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom is a direct peer — a rural-focused incumbent and competitive fiber provider serving communities across 30+ states. Comparable in offering broadband, video, voice, and managed services to small towns and rural areas, with similar capital intensity and grant-funded expansion activity.
• Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications (now private under Searchlight Capital and BCI) is a direct peer — a fiber-heavy rural and suburban telecom operator offering broadband, TV, voice, and business services. Comparable in geographic focus on smaller markets and similar product bundling strategy.
• Metronet: Metronet (now part of T-Mobile Fiber) is a direct peer — a rapidly expanding 100% fiber-to-the-home provider serving mid-sized and smaller communities, with overlapping product set (gigabit internet, TV, voice) and similar rural/small-city targeting approach.
• RiverStreet Networks: RiverStreet Networks is a direct peer — a North Carolina-headquartered rural communications cooperative providing fiber broadband, voice, and business services. It shares FOCUS's cooperative ownership model and operates in adjacent rural NC counties, making it a close functional and structural comparator.
• Vyve Broadband: Vyve Broadband is a direct peer — a rural-focused cable and broadband provider serving smaller communities across the Southeast and other regions. Comparable in serving under-urbanized markets with bundled internet, video, and voice services.

Broad incumbents

• Charter Communications (Spectrum): Charter is a broad incumbent — one of the largest U.S. cable/broadband operators, named alongside FOCUS as an NC GREAT grant recipient. It is actively extending its Spectrum fiber network into FOCUS's service territory, representing the most consequential overbuild threat.
• Comcast (Xfinity): Comcast/Xfinity is a broad incumbent — the largest U.S. cable operator providing internet, video, voice, and home services. While its core footprint is more suburban/urban, it competes indirectly for hybrid workers, second-home owners, and businesses in FOCUS's eastern NC territory.

Emerging players

• SpaceX Starlink: SpaceX Starlink is an emerging player — a low-earth-orbit satellite broadband service with rapidly growing rural subscriber base. It does not directly compete on bundle but provides a credible price-anchored alternative in the lowest-density areas FOCUS serves, constraining pricing power.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/atmcconnect
• YouTubeyoutube.com/FOCUSBroadband
• Facebookfacebook.com/ATMCconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/focusbroadband
• Instagraminstagram.com/focusbroadband

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 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 FOCUS Broadband