Comporium

What Comporium does

Comporium, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned (five generations of the Barnes family since 1912) diversified telecommunications company headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina, founded in 1894 as Rock Hill Telephone Company and rebranded to Comporium Group in 2001. The company delivers residential and business communications services — high-speed fiber internet (Zipstream, up to 1 Gbps for residential and up to 5 Gbps on fiber for select footprints), digital TV (Stream TV and HD channel packages of 173-219 channels), 24/7 monitored smart-home security (powered by Alarm.com), local and long-distance home phone, and Premium WiFi managed via Plume — across more than 4,500 square miles of South Carolina and North Carolina, serving over 150,000 customers.

Underlying the offering is a continually expanding fiber-optic network built through capital-intensive private investment paired with state broadband grants (including a $51.9M award from the SC Broadband Office in December 2023) and electric cooperative partnerships (notably a $16M, 600-mile build with York Electric Cooperative). The technology stack blends proprietary fiber infrastructure with third-party platforms — Plume for adaptive mesh and security filtering, Alarm.com for interactive monitoring, Trend Micro for subscriber antivirus — across multiple subsidiaries (Catawba Services, Video Vision, SunBelt.Net, Telewatch Security Systems, Media Services, and the DashHound agency service).

Comporium monetizes primarily through recurring monthly subscriptions, with internet entry tiers at $39.94 (400 Mbps) and top residential tiers at $65 (1 Gbps), TV packages priced $127.90-$140.85, security monitoring from $39.99, and Premium WiFi at $9.99. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer channels (shop.comporium.com, multiple retail showrooms across SC/NC, phone sales at 888-403-2667) with a dedicated business development team for builders, developers, and property managers, and with channel partners such as York Electric Cooperative for rural areas. The company employs nearly 900-1,000 staff and is led by David Barnes, the fifth-generation family CEO who succeeded his father Bryant Barnes on July 1, 2025.

Name

Comporium

Legal name

Comporium, Inc.

Website

https://comporium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Comporium is a privately held, family-owned (five generations) Carolinas telecommunications company serving 150,000+ residential and business customers across 4,500+ square miles of South Carolina and North Carolina with fiber internet, digital TV, home phone, and Alarm.com-powered security.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

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

Residential/Broadband ISPs (Consumer Internet) (HDAIADAA), Residential Broadband CPE (DSL/Cable/Fiber Gateways) (HDAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Fiber internet service
• Cable TV packages
• Home phone service
• Business communications
• Home security monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Rock Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

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 Services: Monthly subscription fees for internet services including Standard (400 Mbps), Ultra (600 Mbps), and Zipstream 1 Gig (1 Gbps). Prices range from $39.94 to $65/month with 24-month promotional rates available.
2. Digital Video/TV Services: Monthly subscription fees for TV packages including HD Basic Plus TV (173 channels, $127.90/mo) and HD Digital Variety TV (219 channels, $140.85/mo). Includes Stream TV and Watch TV Everywhere services.
3. Home Security Monitoring: Monthly subscription fees for security monitoring services starting at $39.99/month with 24/7 monitoring, remote access, and smart home integration features.
4. Home Phone Services: Monthly subscription for local and long-distance telephone services. Comporium is the #1 long distance provider in the area serving more homes and businesses than all other carriers combined.
5. Premium WiFi Add-on: Additional $9.99/month for Premium WiFi service with adaptive mesh capabilities, security features, and parental controls.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Comporium provides bundled residential telecommunications—fiber and coaxial broadband internet (200 Mbps to 1 Gig), HD and streaming video, home phone, and 24/7 monitored home security—alongside business communications including managed IT, hosted voice, equipment, and PROPALMS hospitality entertainment, served primarily across South Carolina and North Carolina.

Product overview

Comporium is a diversified telecommunications company offering a comprehensive suite of communication services for residential and business customers. The core product portfolio centers on four main service categories: high-speed internet (Zipstream with Premium WiFi add-on), digital TV (Stream TV with multiple channel packages), smart home security (Comporium Security powered by Alarm.com), and home phone services. Internet tiers range from Essential 200 Mbps to Zipstream 1 Gbps, with Premium WiFi providing whole-home mesh coverage. TV offerings include Stream TV streaming service plus traditional HD channel packages. Security services feature 24/7 professional monitoring with smart home integration. The company also provides Lifeline assistance programs for qualifying customers. All services are primarily offered in South and North Carolina communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zipstream: Premier high-speed internet service offering download speeds up to 1 Gbps, Comporium's flagship broadband package.
• Comporium Security
• Stream TV

Products and services

• Zipstream Internet (1 Gig) Residential flagship 1 Gbps broadband tier with 4K streaming capability, included Wi-Fi, antivirus protection, and email, targeting households needing top-tier bandwidth.
• Essential Internet (200 Mbps) Entry-level residential broadband service at up to 200 Mbps with included Wi-Fi, antivirus, and email for single- or light-use households.
• Standard Internet (400 Mbps) Mid-tier residential broadband service at up to 400 Mbps suitable for streaming, gaming, and multi-device homes, with included Wi-Fi and email.
• Ultra Internet (600 Mbps) High-tier residential broadband service at up to 600 Mbps designed for heavy streaming, gaming, and connected-device households, with included Wi-Fi and email.
• HD Basic Plus TV Entry HD video package including local channels and a 173-channel lineup delivered over Comporium's network.
• HD Digital Variety TV Expanded HD video package with a 219-channel lineup, providing broader entertainment, sports, and lifestyle programming.
• Stream TV Streaming-based video service with cloud DVR and no traditional set-top box, enabling on-demand and live TV across connected devices.
• Home Phone Residential voice service with voicemail, E911, international calling options, and three-way calling, delivered over Comporium's voice network.
• Comporium Security 24/7 UL-listed professional home security monitoring with intrusion, fire, carbon monoxide, medical, and smart-home integration, sold to residential customers.
• Premium Wi-Fi Whole-home managed mesh Wi-Fi service offered as a subscription add-on to residential internet, providing enhanced coverage and managed connectivity.
• Fiber Connect (Business Internet) Dedicated fiber-based business broadband internet with symmetrical/scalable speeds and business-grade SLAs, targeted at SMB, mid-market, healthcare, education, government, and builder/developer accounts.
• Managed Business Services (Hosted Voice, Managed IT, Equipment) Suite of managed business communications including hosted PBX/voice, managed IT services, networking equipment, and business communications gear sold to SMB and mid-market customers.
• PROPALMS / Hospitality In-Room Entertainment and Managed Wi-Fi In-room entertainment and managed Wi-Fi solution for hotels and hospitality operators, bundling guest internet, video, and interactive services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Internet speeds up to 5 Gbps available for customers
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Transylvania County, North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Partnership to expand fiber network in Transylvania County. A $4.7 million project installed approximately 64 miles of fiber to reach 517 homes and businesses. Funded through Comporium's private investment and state-issued GREAT grants (American Rescue Plan Act, administered by NC Department of Information Technology).
• York Electric Cooperative (YEC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 July 2024Partnership to extend gigabit fiber internet to underserved areas of YEC's service territory. A $16 million project constructed nearly 600 miles of cable between December 2020 and June 2023, enabling Internet access to more than 5,000 YEC members. Comporium helped YEC secure $1,099,012 from the South Carolina Accelerated Deployment Grant Program.
• South Carolina Broadband OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SC Broadband Office for rural broadband expansion. Comporium combined private investment with state-issued funds from American Rescue Plan Act. The company was awarded $51.9 million in grants by the SC Broadband Office in December 2023.
• Alarm.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationComporium Security powered by Alarm.com provides interactive home security system with 24/7 monitoring, remote access via mobile app, and smart home integration capabilities.
• PlumecoreTechnology or IntegrationPremium WiFi powered by Plume provides whole-home WiFi solution with adaptive mesh technology (Adapt), security filtering (Guard), guest access management (Control), and movement detection (Sense).
• National Content & Technology Cooperative (NCTC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCTC is a cooperative of 700+ independent communications service providers connecting one-third of all households and businesses throughout North America. Karl Skroban serves on the board and was elected board chairman. NCTC makes purchasing and implementing innovative solutions easy and affordable for members.
• York County Economic DevelopmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEconomic development partnership to encourage business development in York County. Comporium assists local economic development organizations by providing tools and resources to educate prospective businesses.
• Knowledge Park (Rock Hill)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComporium is a key partner in Knowledge Park, a dynamic center of Rock Hill's 21st century economy. The private/public partnership includes Comporium along with the City of Rock Hill and local business leaders.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves19 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Home Telecom: Regional fiber/broadband provider in the South Carolina Lowcountry, comparable to Comporium in offering bundled Internet/TV/Phone over owned fiber infrastructure to residential and business customers in a similar geographic tier. John Barnes Jr. sits on the Home Telecom board, evidencing direct industry overlap.
• Atlantic Telephone Membership Corp (ATMC): Member-owned fiber cooperative serving southeastern North Carolina with Internet, TV, Phone, and Security offerings. Closely comparable to Comporium in scale, rural Carolinas footprint, and cooperative-adjacent fiber build model.
• Lumos: Fiber-to-the-home provider operating across the Carolinas, Virginia, and adjacent Southeast markets with 1 Gig+ residential and business fiber service. Directly comparable on technology, target markets, and bundled service offering.
• Point Broadband: Fiber broadband operator focused on rural and small-town markets across the Southeast and Midwest. Comparable to Comporium in serving underserved fiber markets with residential internet and voice.
• TDS Telecom: Regional ILEC operating fiber and broadband networks across rural and suburban US markets. Comparable in scale, geographic breadth, and multi-service (Internet/TV/Phone) residential bundling approach.
• Metronet: Multi-state fiber-to-the-home provider offering symmetrical gigabit speeds and bundled services. Comparable in technology (fiber overbuild), product mix, and target customer (residential broadband buyers).
• Blue Ridge Communications: Independent cable/broadband operator serving rural Pennsylvania with Internet, TV, and Phone. Comparable in privately-held independent operator profile and rural/underserved fiber build strategy.
• Vyve Broadband: Regional cable/broadband provider serving non-urban markets across the Southeast and beyond. Comparable to Comporium as a privately held rural-focused broadband operator offering triple-play bundles.

Broad incumbents

• Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband): Cable/broadband operator owned by Cogeco serving markets across the Eastern US including parts of the Carolinas. Comparable product offering (Internet/TV/Phone/Security) with broader geographic footprint and institutional backing.
• Charter Communications (Spectrum): National cable/broadband incumbent with material overlap in Comporium's Carolinas service territory. Comparable on Internet/TV/Phone offerings and competing on speed, price, and bundling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/comporium
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/comporium
• Facebookfacebook.com/comporium
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/comporium-communications
• Instagraminstagram.com/comporiuminc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments8 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Comporium