Allband

What Allband does

Allband Communications Cooperative is Michigan's first non-profit telephone cooperative, incorporated November 3, 2003 by founder and President John Reigle after he was denied telephone service by GTE at his Curran, MI residence. The cooperative provides Fiber to the Home (FTTH) broadband, fixed wireless internet, traditional landline, and VoIP phone services to rural residential customers, small businesses, farms, and seasonal property owners across northeast Lower Michigan. Its infrastructure consists of an all-fiber passive optical network with buried cable (immune to weather interference) supplemented by fixed wireless (up to 60Mbps) and a Ubiquiti UniFi-based VoIP platform. Residential fiber tiers deliver up to 650Mbps download with unlimited usage, no data caps, and no contracts.

The cooperative generates revenue through recurring monthly subscriptions — residential fiber from $59.99/month, business fiber from $79.99–$119.99/month, voice services from $6.99–$69.99/month — plus one-time activation/construction fees ($60–$120), router rentals ($10/month), and add-ons such as security monitoring ($19.99/month) and static IP ($4.99/month). As an ILEC and ETC-designated carrier, Allband also recovers operating costs through Universal Service Fund mechanisms via National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) pooling. The company is wholly member-owned and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors; cumulative federal and state infrastructure funding exceeds $36.7 million across USDA RUS loans, ARRA grants, the 2023 USDA award, and the USDA ReConnect Round 4 program.

Allband operates from its Curran, MI headquarters (7251 Cemetery Rd) with a lean staff of approximately eight personnel, including a General Manager, Outside Plant Manager, Network Administrator, and technicians. The cooperative's direct-to-consumer go-to-market relies on its website (allband.org), customer portal, 24/7 phone support, community events, member referrals ($50 credit program), and modest social media presence. Customer reach is expanding from four counties (Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, Oscoda) into Iosco County via the USDA ReConnect Round 4 project, which will connect approximately 3,575 households, 122 businesses, and 100 farms.

Name

Allband

Legal name

Allband Communications Cooperative

Website

https://allband.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Allband Communications Cooperative is a Michigan member-owned telephone cooperative delivering fiber-to-the-home broadband, fixed wireless internet, and VoIP phone services to rural residential, small business, farm, and seasonal customers across northeast Lower Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Broadband Telecommunications

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Rural broadband services
• Fiber optic internet
• Fixed wireless internet
• Telephone cooperative
• VoIP phone services

Headquarters

HQ city

Curran

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Internet Service Subscriptions: Monthly subscription fees for residential and business fiber and fixed-wireless internet services. No contracts required, unlimited usage, no data caps or speed throttling.
2. Landline Phone Services: Voice services including residential landline, business voice, UniFi VoIP, and cooperative phone services with various feature packages.
3. Installation and Construction Fees: One-time activation fees and construction charges for new service installations, including fiber optic and fixed-wireless setups.
4. Equipment Rental: Router rental at $10/month with remote diagnostics and mesh extenders at $5/month. Security monitoring service at $19.99/month.
5. USDA ReConnect Grant Funding: $16.9 million USDA ReConnect Round 4 broadband expansion project funded by federal appropriations, supporting network infrastructure buildout.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Allband Communications Cooperative provides fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and fixed-wireless broadband internet, along with traditional landline and VoIP telephone services, to rural residential and small business customers across Northeastern Michigan. The cooperative delivers connectivity in unserved and underserved areas that major carriers have abandoned, with speeds up to 650Mbps on fiber, and provides bundled voice/internet packages with no contracts, no data caps, and free construction through 2026.

Product overview

Allband Communications Cooperative is a telecommunications provider offering a unified portfolio of internet and phone services primarily serving rural Northern Michigan. The core offering consists of Fiber Optic Internet (up to 650Mbps) and Fixed-Wireless Internet (up to 60Mbps), both with unlimited usage and no contracts. Voice services include traditional Landline Phone, UniFi Business Phone (VoIP), and specialized Cooperative Voice plans. Service tiers are differentiated by speed and features: Business Fiber Plans offer priority support and static IP, while Cooperative Fiber provides membership benefits for cooperative area residents. Add-on services include Seasonal/Vacation Service suspension, Security Option for remote device monitoring, Static IP addresses, and Router Rental with network diagnostics. The portfolio emphasizes rural broadband access with flexible options for residential, business, and seasonal customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UniFi: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) based phone service for residential and business customers with features including call waiting, caller ID, three way calling, and full PBX for small businesses.

Products and services

• Residential Fiber Optic Internet High-speed fiber-to-the-home internet service delivering speeds up to 650Mbps download with unlimited usage, no data caps, and no contracts required. Priced from $59.99/month for residential customers in rural Northeastern Michigan.
• Fixed-Wireless Internet Fixed-wireless broadband internet providing up to 60Mbps download and 30Mbps upload speeds requiring line-of-sight to a tower. Priced at $59.99/month for residential service with unlimited usage and no contracts.
• Business Fiber Internet Tiered business fiber internet with priority support, prioritized scheduling, up-to-date equipment, and static IP upon request. Plans include Basic 350Mbps at $79.99/month, Family 450Mbps at $94.99/month, and Ultra 650Mbps at $119.99/month.
• UniFi Business Phone (VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocol phone service based on Ubiquiti UniFi platform offering full PBX capabilities, voicemail transcription, online settings access, and compatibility with SIP desktop phones (Yealink T54W, T57W, Poly VVX 450) and mobile devices. Available with internet bundle or standalone.
• Business Voice (Landline) Business voice telephone service including outbound calls to 911, unlimited calling within the 48 contiguous U.S. states, and advanced features (caller ID, call waiting, voicemail). Priced at $40/month with internet bundle or $69.99 standalone. Additional lines at $30/month.
• Residential Landline Phone Traditional residential landline telephone service with caller ID, call waiting, voicemail, and 911 emergency services. Priced at $20/month when bundled with internet, or $49.99 standalone.
• Cooperative Fiber (Member Internet) Fiber internet service for cooperative members in Curran and Lachine areas. Benefits include business-rated internet speeds at no additional charge, annual voting rights, and a one-time $20 membership fee.
• Cooperative Voice (Member Phone) Voice services for cooperative members in the Robbs Creek Exchange area. Includes Voice 911/Seasonal at $6.99/month (911-only service for seasonal use) and Voice Advanced at $20/month with internet or $49.99 standalone for full voice.
• Seasonal/Vacation Service Suspension Service suspension option for seasonal customers allowing temporary disconnection of services with a $60 reactivation fee when restored. Bundled with new security monitoring option for remote smart device access.
• Security Monitoring Option Security monitoring service for seasonal homes allowing remote access to smart thermostats and security cameras. Uses 3Mbps download and 12Mbps upload speeds. Priced at $19.99/month with no reactivation fee.
• Static IP Address Static IP address service for business customers requiring fixed IP addresses. One Static IP included free with business accounts; additional IPs available for $4.99/month.
• Router Rental and Mesh Extender Optional router rental at $10/month including remote network diagnostics and support. Mesh extenders available at $5/month for extended Wi-Fi coverage throughout business or residential premises.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves rural areas abandoned by major carriers like GTE/Verizon/Frontier that refused to provide service at any cost
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Michigan State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2003MSU faculty and students provided guidance and incubation support during Allband's formation, helping develop the loan application for Rural Utility Service (RUS) funding. This academic partnership was instrumental in creating Michigan's first non-profit telephone cooperative.
• National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA)coreTechnology or IntegrationThrough FCC waivers, Allband joined NECA pools as an ILEC, enabling recovery of costs through Universal Service Fund mechanisms including Interim Common Line Support, Local Switching Support, and High Cost Loop Support.
• Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC)coreOthersState regulatory body that granted Allband temporary license (August 31, 2004) and permanent license (December 2, 2004) to provide service in its Robbs Creek Exchange, as well as Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) status (November 10, 2005).

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mid-River Communications Cooperative: Mid-River is a small rural telephone cooperative in central Montana providing fiber and telephone services to low-density ranching communities on a non-profit cooperative basis - the closest structural and operational analog to Allband's model.
• Packerland Broadband: Packerland Broadband is a rural-focused fixed wireless and fiber ISP serving Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan - both rural Midwest geographies with similar low-density customer economics and USDA-funded buildouts.
• Acentek: Acentek is a small rural fiber and fixed wireless broadband provider in Southeastern Minnesota serving farm/ranch communities with similar capital-light deployment economics, competing for federal ReConnect-style funding.

Regional players

• NextLight (Longmont Power & Communications): NextLight is a community-owned FTTH utility in Longmont, Colorado - comparable non-profit/utility fiber delivery model serving a small geography, although serving an urban-rather-than-rural customer base.
• Holland Board of Public Works Fiber: Holland BPW operates a municipal/community FTTH network in Holland, Michigan - same state as Allband with comparable small-scale, community-owned fiber delivery model but serving a denser town environment.

Broad incumbents

• Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications (now private under Searchlight Capital/Bain) is a regional incumbent telecom serving rural and small-town America with fiber, DSL, and voice - overlapping ILEC positioning but at much larger scale across multiple states.
• Frontier Communications: Frontier is the large incumbent carrier that historically declined to serve the same Northeastern Michigan territories Allband now serves. Frontier is rolling fiber in many rural territories, representing potential competitive overlap at the edges of Allband's footprint.
• TDS Telecom: TDS Telecom operates rural fiber-to-the-home networks across many US states with an explicitly rural-first strategy similar to Allband, including active participation in federal broadband subsidy programs.

Emerging players

• Starlink (SpaceX): Starlink is the dominant emerging alternative in rural broadband across the US; it is targeting exactly Allband's low-density customer segment with no fiber buildout required, representing the most material competitive threat to subscriber growth.
• Viasat: Viasat provides satellite broadband aimed at rural US households unserved by terrestrial broadband - overlapping customer segment with Allband but using satellite rather than fiber delivery, and competing for the same federal subsidy dollars.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCY7kInAyUTGBVuZuqbcp7jw
• Facebookfacebook.com/AllbandCommunicationsCooperative
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/allband-communications-cooperative
• Xx.com/Allbandmm

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Allband