Schurz Communications
Schurz Communications is a privately held, family-owned communications company operating six regional fiber broadband subsidiaries under Schurz Broadband Group plus managed cloud services through Otava, serving residential, business, and municipal customers across multiple U.S. states with multi-gig fiber and bundled mobile/video/voice products.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1872
- HeadquartersMishawaka, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Schurz Communications does
Schurz Communications is a privately held, family-owned diversified communications company headquartered in Mishawaka, Indiana, operating continuously since 1872 when it was founded as the publisher of the South Bend Tribune. Over 150+ years and across five generations of family ownership, the company has evolved from newspaper publishing into a regional broadband and cloud services operator, divesting legacy media assets and consolidating around two core divisions: Schurz Broadband Group (SBG) and Otava managed cloud services.
Schurz Broadband Group unifies six regional fiber-based internet providers — Antietam Broadband (MD), Burlington Telecom (VT), Hiawatha Broadband Communications/HBC (MN), Long Lines Broadband (IA/NE/SD), NKTelco (OH), and Orbitel Communications (AZ) — under a shared Flight product suite comprising Flight Fiber (100% fiber-to-the-home internet with multi-gig symmetrical speeds up to 5 Gig), Flight Video (streaming television), Flight Mobile (5G wireless MVNO via NCTC partnership), and Flight Voice (hosted voice). Otava, a wholly-owned sister company, provides managed cloud, data protection, edge computing, and cybersecurity services to business customers across all six broadband properties and externally.
The business model is primarily subscription-based recurring revenue from residential and business broadband subscribers across rural and underserved U.S. markets, supplemented by enterprise managed cloud services and equipment/manufacturer partnerships (Broadcom, Microsoft, Veeam, Scale Computing). Go-to-market is direct via locally-operated subsidiary sales teams and retail walk-in locations, with distribution advantages rooted in community-based brand identity. Customer concentration is low, dominated by distributed residential and small-to-mid business subscribers, with selective enterprise and municipal/government anchor accounts. Headcount is in the 1,001-5,000 range across all entities combined.
Schurz Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Schurz Communications
- Legal name
- Schurz Communications, Inc.
- Website
- https://www.schurz.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1872
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Schurz Communications is a privately held, family-owned communications company operating six regional fiber broadband subsidiaries under Schurz Broadband Group plus managed cloud services through Otava, serving residential, business, and municipal customers across multiple U.S. states with multi-gig fiber and bundled mobile/video/voice products.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Schurz Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fiber Broadband Telecommunications
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), All Other Telecommunications (5178)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband) (HDAIABAI), Fiber-to-the-Premises/Building (FTTP/FTTB) Operators (HDAIACAC)
Keywords
Where Schurz Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mishawaka
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Schurz Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Residential Broadband Services: Monthly subscription revenue from residential fiber internet, video streaming, and voice services. Includes no-data-caps pricing with long-term price guarantees.
- Business Solutions: Enterprise-grade connectivity services for businesses including symmetrical speeds up to 100 Gbps, carrier-class SLAs, network mapping, disaster recovery, managed cloud and colocation services.
- Flight Mobile Wireless: 5G mobile service offered as MVNO through NCTC partnership. Revenue from mobile subscriptions bundled with broadband accounts.
- Managed Cloud Services: Data protection, edge computing, and cloud security services for broadband business customers through Otava partnership.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | NKTelco Flight Fiber tiers: 5 Gig (power users), 2 Gig (smart homes/remote work), 1 Gig (standard), 500 Mbps (entry) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Antietam Broadband: Speeds up to 2.5 Gig in Carroll County, up to 2.3 Gbps in Washington County |
| Subscription | Monthly | Flight Mobile 5G service |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Schurz Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Family-owned diversified communications company providing 100% fiber-to-the-home broadband internet (Flight Fiber), streaming video (Flight Video), mobile wireless service via 5G MVNO (Flight Mobile), and hosted voice (Flight Voice) to residential and business customers across regional U.S. markets. Operations are delivered through six regional fiber-based broadband subsidiaries consolidated under Schurz Broadband Group, with Otava supplying multi-cloud managed services (IaaS, DRaaS, BaaS, security, edge compute) to enterprise customers.
Product overview
Schurz Communications operates a diversified communications company with two primary divisions: Schurz Broadband Group (SBG) and Otava cloud services. The broadband group unifies six regional fiber-based internet providers (Antietam Broadband, Burlington Telecom, Hiawatha Broadband, Long Lines Broadband, NKTelco, and Orbitel Communications) under the unified Flight product suite. The Flight suite includes Flight Fiber (100% fiber-to-the-home internet with multi-gig speeds up to 5 Gig), Flight Video (streaming video services), Flight Mobile (5G wireless MVNO), and Flight Voice (hosted voice solutions). Each regional company maintains its own brand and operates locally while benefiting from shared resources and technology leadership through SBG. Otava provides managed cloud, data protection, and cybersecurity services as a sister company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Flight Fiber: Next-generation 100% fiber broadband internet service offering multi-gig speeds up to 5 Gig, delivering symmetrical upload/download speeds, unlimited data, and reliable connectivity for residential and business customers.
- Flight Mobile
- Flight Video
Products and services
- Flight Fiber 100% fiber-to-the-home broadband internet service offering symmetrical, multi-gig speeds up to 5 Gig for residential customers and dedicated bandwidth up to 100 Gbps for business customers, with no data caps, transparent pricing, and no annual contract options. Sold through the six SBG regional operating companies to households and businesses in their respective fiber footprints.
- Flight Video Streaming video service delivered alongside Flight Fiber, providing residential customers across SBG markets with a streaming television offering that can be combined with other Flight services.
- Flight Mobile Mobile wireless service delivered as a 5G MVNO, sold to residential and small-business customers in SBG markets and bundled with Flight Fiber, Flight Video, and Flight Voice as part of the Flight Suite. Distributed via the National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC) relationship.
- Flight Voice Hosted voice / VoIP telephony service for residential and business customers across SBG's regional markets, delivered over the company's fiber infrastructure and available as a standalone product or as part of the Flight Suite bundle.
- Otava Managed Cloud Services Multi-cloud managed services platform delivered through Otava, providing Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Disaster-Recovery-as-a-Service, Backup-as-a-Service, managed security, and edge computing across multiple hyperscaler environments and Otava's regional data center footprint. Targeted at enterprise and mid-market customers needing carrier-grade connectivity paired with managed cloud.
- Business Fiber Connectivity (Dedicated Bandwidth up to 100 Gbps) Enterprise and mid-market-grade dedicated fiber connectivity service sold by SBG, providing symmetrical, dedicated bandwidth up to 100 Gbps for businesses requiring high-capacity, low-latency connections across the SBG regional fiber footprint.
- Flight Suite Bundle of Flight Fiber broadband, Flight Video streaming, Flight Mobile wireless, and Flight Voice hosted voice offered as a single subscription bundle to residential customers across SBG markets, marketed for its consolidated billing and value pricing versus buying each service separately.
Quantifiable outcome
- Nearly 50,000 locations now have access to multi-gig Flight Fiber service
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Schurz Communications
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Schurz Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
Schurz Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- OtavacoreOtava, Schurz's sister company, provides world-class data protection and managed cloud services to Schurz Broadband Group customers. Partnership delivers cybersecurity protections, edge computing solutions, and cloud security services to business customers across all six broadband companies. Solutions powered by technology partners including Broadcom, Microsoft, Veeam, and Scale Computing.
- National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC)coreNCTC partnership enables Schurz to offer Flight Mobile, an affordable 5G service as a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). NCTC provides national 5G network coverage, allowing Schurz broadband companies to bundle mobile services with existing internet accounts. Flight Mobile launched first at Antietam Broadband with plans for expansion to other Schurz broadband locations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Schurz Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TDS Telecom: Multi-state regional fiber and broadband operator with owned fiber infrastructure serving rural and secondary markets across the U.S. Closely comparable to Schurz in scale, footprint strategy, and target customer segments (rural/suburban residential and SMB).
- altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Regional fiber-to-the-home operator in Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana offering multi-gig residential broadband, voice, video, and managed services. Highly comparable to Schurz on geographic overlap, FTTH-only network architecture, and product suite.
- Lumos Fiber: Regional fiber broadband operator expanding 100% FTTH across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Directly comparable to Schurz's Antietam Broadband (MD) operations in market type and fiber overbuild strategy.
- Empire Access: Privately held regional fiber ISP serving rural and secondary markets in the Northeast (NY/PA), offering fiber internet, TV, phone, and managed services. Highly comparable to Schurz's Burlington Telecom (VT) footprint and operating model.
- Point Broadband: Regional fiber and fixed wireless broadband provider focused on rural and small-town America across the Southeast and Midwest. Comparable to Schurz in customer base (rural/underserved), speed tiers, and capex model.
- Consolidated Communications: Multi-state fiber and broadband operator serving residential and business customers across 20+ states. Comparable to Schurz Broadband Group on multi-state regional fiber ISP scale and enterprise service offerings.
- Zito Media: Privately held regional cable and fiber broadband operator serving rural communities across the Midwest and Northeast. Comparable to Schurz on rural market focus, fiber-to-the-home upgrade strategy, and family/privately-held ownership profile.
- Mid-Hudson Cable: Family-owned regional broadband provider delivering fiber and cable services in the Hudson Valley NY region. Comparable to Schurz on operating scale, rural/suburban residential focus, and privately-held ownership.
Broad incumbents
- Frontier Communications: Large incumbent fiber and DSL provider across 25 states with a major FTTH expansion program. Comparable to Schurz on fiber overbuild economics and enterprise connectivity offerings, though materially larger in scale and publicly listed.
- AT&T Fiber: National tier-1 carrier aggressively expanding fiber-to-the-home across secondary markets including many of Schurz's service territories. Comparable on FTTH product offering and target customer segments, though vastly larger in scale and capital base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Schurz Communications social profiles
Digital presenceSchurz Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Schurz Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Schurz Communications subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Schurz Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Schurz Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Schurz Communications
What does Schurz Communications do?
Family-owned diversified communications company providing 100% fiber-to-the-home broadband internet (Flight Fiber), streaming video (Flight Video), mobile wireless service via 5G MVNO (Flight Mobile), and hosted voice (Flight Voice) to residential and business customers across regional U.S. markets. Operations are delivered through six regional fiber-based broadband subsidiaries consolidated under Schurz Broadband Group, with Otava supplying multi-cloud managed services (IaaS, DRaaS, BaaS, security, edge compute) to enterprise customers.
Is Schurz Communications a public or private company?
Schurz Communications is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Schurz Communications founded?
Schurz Communications was founded in 1872. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Schurz Communications based?
Schurz Communications is headquartered in Mishawaka, United States, in the North America region.
How does Schurz Communications make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Residential Broadband Services are the primary driver. The others are business Solutions, flight Mobile Wireless and managed Cloud Services.
Who are Schurz Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TDS Telecom, altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell), Lumos Fiber, Empire Access, Point Broadband, Consolidated Communications, Zito Media and Mid-Hudson Cable. Broad incumbents are Frontier Communications and AT&T Fiber.
Does Schurz Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Schurz Communications.
What industry is Schurz Communications in?
Schurz Communications's product category is Fiber Broadband Telecommunications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIADAE, Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers), with a secondary code of HDAIABAI, Business/Enterprise Fixed Connectivity Providers (SME/Enterprise Broadband). Its NAICS code is 51711 and its SIC code is 4813.