Southern Telecom

What Southern Telecom does

Southern Telecom is the wireline, fiber-optic telecommunications subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), founded in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company operates as a wholesale B2B provider of dark fiber, conduit, colocation, network monitoring, project management, and GIS-based market research services to telecommunications carriers (CLECs, ILECs, BLECs, ISPs, ASPs, IXCs), carrier carriers, large enterprise private networks, and data storage/backup/disaster recovery service providers across the Southeastern United States. Its stated strategic focus is connecting "non-NFL" cities — secondary and tertiary markets in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi — where Southern Company's utility footprint and transmission/distribution rights-of-way provide structural advantage. The company is certificated as a telecommunications provider at the federal level and in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

The infrastructure base consists of approximately 3,700 installed route miles of fiber using DWDM-capable NZ-DSF and SMF-28 fiber, with in-line amplification sites on long-haul routes and metro fiber rings in key cities (Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, Macon, Jacksonville, Tuscaloosa, Anniston, Gadsden, Pascagoula). Colocation is delivered through carrier-neutral hotels in Atlanta, Montgomery, Birmingham, Anniston, Tuscaloosa, and Gadsden, equipped with HVAC, power backup, and interconnection cross-connects. A 24/7 Network Operations Center provides alarm and performance monitoring, remote testing, dispatch, and preventative maintenance coordination. GIS-based mapping services support route planning and competitive analysis for build-outs.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring wholesale subscriptions: dark fiber and conduit leases (monthly or pre-paid, point-to-point or ring configurations, full cables or partial strands), colocation rentals (cages, cabinets, rack powering, cross-connections), recurring NOC monitoring contracts, and professional services for project management and market research. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, executed through named Carrier Account Executives and supported by membership in industry associations (Fiber Network Alliance, Utilities Telecom Council, INCOMPAS, Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council). The company also serves as the wireline counterpart to sister company Southern Linc, sharing a President and CEO, indicating centralized telecom oversight within the Southern Company portfolio.

Name

Southern Telecom

Legal name

Southern Telecom

Website

https://southern-telecom.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Telecom is the wholesale fiber-optic subsidiary of Southern Company, providing dark fiber, conduit, colocation, network monitoring, and project management services to carriers, carrier-carriers, and enterprises across the Southeastern United States, with an installed footprint of roughly 3,700 route miles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Telecommunications Infrastructure

NAICS

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

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Wavelength, Spectrum & Dark Fiber Providers (IRU/Leases) (HDAIALAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subsea & Terrestrial Backhaul to Data Centers and Cloud On-Ramps (IX/DC Interconnect) (HDAIALAJ)

Keywords

• Dark fiber services
• Fiber optic infrastructure
• Wholesale telecommunications
• Colocation facilities
• Metro fiber networks

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dark Fiber Leasing: Wholesale dark fiber optic solutions provided to business community. Leasing arrangements include monthly or pre-paid options, point to point or ring configurations, enterprise building service laterals, full fiber cables or select number of strands.
2. Colocation Services: State-of-the-art colocation facilities offering data storage, data backup, disaster recovery, long-haul/metro optical cross connects. Provides caged or partitioned space, customized rack installation and powering, cross connections, and interconnections to other tenants.
3. Project Management Services: Purpose-built private network development including project management, construction, ROW perfection, colocation site selection, and land-leasing assistance through Southern Company's real estate group.
4. Network Monitoring and Maintenance: NOC services for network monitoring, alarm and performance monitoring, problem diagnosis, remote testing, dispatch and notification services, coordination and assignment of preventative maintenance.
5. Market Research and GIS Services: Market research and mapping services using GIS to analyze demographics, facilities, property, and telecommunications infrastructure to identify optimal dark fiber routes and network planning.
6. Conduit Services: Inner liner offerings and conduit services for backbone and service laterals, including industry standard inner liners, manhole space, and coring for service laterals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Southern Telecom provides wholesale dark fiber optic infrastructure and related services to the business community across the Southeastern U.S. Its core offerings include metro and long-haul dark fiber leasing (point-to-point or ring configurations, service laterals, full cables or individual strands), carrier-neutral colocation facilities, 24/7 network monitoring via a Network Operations Center (NOC), project management for purpose-built private networks, and GIS-based market research.

Product overview

Southern Telecom is the telecommunications subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), founded in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company provides wholesale dark fiber optic solutions to the business community, operating a portfolio of complementary services: Dark Fiber and Conduit Services form the core network infrastructure offering metro and long-haul dark fiber connectivity; Colocation Facilities provide state-of-the-art data storage, backup, and disaster recovery hosting; Network Monitoring and Maintenance delivers 24/7 NOC services; Project Management enables purpose-built private network development with ROW management and land leasing; and Market Research offers GIS-based dark fiber planning analytics. The company also plans to offer Lit Fiber Services. Southern Telecom serves telecommunication providers (CLECs, ILECs, BLECs, ISPs, ASPs, IXCs), carrier carriers, enterprise private networks, and enterprise data storage/backup/disaster recovery providers across the Southeastern U.S.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dark Fiber and Conduit Services Wholesale dark fiber and conduit solutions including metro and long-haul dark fiber service laterals and backbone fiber, point-to-point or ring configurations, enterprise building service laterals, full fiber cables or select number of strands, with high-quality fiber supporting DWDM. Also includes inner liner offerings, manhole space, and coring for service laterals. Targeted at telecom carriers, CLECs, ILECs, ISPs, and large enterprises.
• Colocation Facilities State-of-the-art carrier-neutral colocation facilities offering secure data storage, disaster recovery, and hosting with HVAC, power, voice/data lines, reliable DC/AC power backup, underground electrical distribution, caged or partitioned space, customized rack installation and powering, cross connections, and interconnections to other tenants. Designed for telecom carriers, content providers, and enterprise data storage/backup/disaster recovery service providers.
• Network Monitoring and Maintenance 24/7 Network Operations Center providing alarm and performance monitoring, problem diagnosis, remote testing, dispatch and notification services, and coordination of preventative maintenance and system upgrades. Functions as the nerve center for Southern Company's telecommunications operations.
• Project Management for Private Network Development End-to-end project management services for purpose-built private network development including construction, rights-of-way (ROW) perfection, colocation site selection, liaison with local power companies, pole attachment consulting, and land leasing assistance through Southern Company's real estate group. Targeted at large enterprises with custom network requirements.
• GIS-Based Market Research

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminates bandwidth as an impediment to growth without major capital expenditures or maintenance obligations
• +1 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council (GUCC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn organization that coordinates, ensures safety and meets DOT specifications for utility construction. Southern Telecom works as a member to build a business, regulatory and technological foundation.
• Utilities Telecom Council (UTC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA global trade association dealing with critical telecommunications and IT issues. Southern Telecom works as a member to build a business, regulatory and technological foundation.
• Fiber Network Alliance (FNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association for fiber network operators. Southern Telecom is a member working to build business, regulatory and technological foundation.
• INCOMPASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association. Southern Telecom is a member working to build business, regulatory and technological foundation.
• Southern CompanycoreOthersSouthern Telecom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Southern Company is one of the largest investor-owned utilities in North America, providing financial backing and infrastructure assets.
• Alabama PowerminorOthersAffiliated company under Southern Company. Located in Alabama service territory.
• Georgia PowerminorOthersAffiliated company under Southern Company. Located in Georgia service territory where Southern Telecom is headquartered.
• Mississippi PowerminorOthersAffiliated company under Southern Company. Located in Mississippi service territory.
• Southern PowerminorOthersAffiliated company under Southern Company.
• Southern LincminorOthersSouthern Company's wireless communications service offering businesses two-way radio, phone service, paging and Internet access. Led by same CEO Bentina C. Terry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zayo Group: Zayo is one of the largest pure-play wholesale dark fiber and lit-services providers in North America, operating long-haul and metro fiber across the U.S. and Europe. It is the closest direct comparable to Southern Telecom's wholesale dark fiber, colocation, and wavelength business model.
• FiberLight: FiberLight operates regional wholesale dark fiber networks with significant presence in Texas and the Southeastern U.S., serving carriers, enterprises, and government customers. Its regional focus and wholesale-only model closely mirror Southern Telecom's approach.
• Lightpath (Altice USA): Lightpath is a wholesale and enterprise fiber provider offering dark fiber, lit services, and Ethernet across the Northeast and other U.S. markets. Its mix of dark fiber plus value-added services aligns with Southern Telecom's current and announced roadmap.
• Uniti Group: Uniti Group operates a wholesale fiber infrastructure business with extensive route miles across the South and Midwest, leasing dark fiber and providing related infrastructure services. Its regional Southern U.S. footprint and wholesale focus make it a strong comparable.
• Bandwidth IG: Bandwidth IG is a pure-play dark fiber provider focused on hyperscale and wholesale customers in select U.S. metro markets. Its dark fiber-only, infrastructure-led business model and B2B wholesale customer base parallel Southern Telecom's positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Crown Castle: Crown Castle operates a national fiber and small-cell infrastructure business across the U.S., including dark fiber, lit services, and colocation. While broader and more diversified (with significant tower assets), its fiber solutions business directly competes with Southern Telecom.
• Lumen Technologies: Lumen operates one of the largest U.S. fiber networks, providing wholesale dark fiber, wavelengths, and managed services nationwide. As a broad incumbent with a much larger network and broader service portfolio, it competes for the same wholesale carrier customers Southern Telecom serves.
• Arelion (formerly Telia Carrier): Arelion operates a global wholesale fiber backbone providing dark fiber, wavelengths, and IP transit to carriers and content providers. While global in scope, its wholesale-only carrier-customer model and dark fiber/wavelength product mix overlap with Southern Telecom's core offering.
• Consolidated Communications: Consolidated Communications owns fiber infrastructure across the U.S., including wholesale dark fiber and enterprise services in the Southeastern U.S. Its broader retail/enterprise portfolio makes it a broad incumbent comparable rather than a direct dark-fiber specialist.
• Verizon Business (including XO Communications legacy): Verizon operates an extensive U.S. fiber network providing wholesale dark fiber, wavelength, and Ethernet services to carrier and enterprise customers. Its scale and broad product portfolio position it as a large incumbent competitor for the same wholesale opportunities Southern Telecom pursues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-telecom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Southern Telecom