WAV
WAV is a value-added distributor of fiber, fixed wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, IoT, and LTE networking equipment, serving more than 10,000 WISPs, ISPs, MSPs, telcos, and municipal customers across North America through seven warehouse locations and 70,000+ stocked SKUs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersAurora, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What WAV does
WAV (Wav Wireless Outfitters) is a privately held value-added distributor of fiber, fixed wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, IoT, physical security, and LTE networking equipment, founded in 1989 by Norm Dumbroff and headquartered in Aurora, Illinois. The company operates seven warehouse and distribution locations across North America — including US sites in Aurora, West Chicago, College Station (under the ISP Supplies brand), Kalama, and Canadian sites in Vars, Ontario and Medicine Hat, Alberta (operated under the MBSI WAV brand). WAV carries $25+ million in daily on-hand inventory across 70,000+ SKUs sourced from manufacturers including Tarana Wireless, Cambium Networks, and others, and serves more than 10,000 customers across WISP, ISP, MSP, Telco, municipal, hospitality, education, oil & gas, and First Nations/Tribal broadband segments.
The core business is hardware distribution with a value-added overlay: WAV supports multi-vendor solution design, predictive Wi-Fi modeling for high-density environments, education/training programs (MikroTik RouterOS and Cambium certifications), and manufacturer co-financing promotions. Revenue is generated through equipment resale via direct sales (phone and customer portal), an e-commerce storefront at wavonline.com, and a reseller/partner channel, with quote-based pricing across multi-year contracts. No public pricing or revenue figures are disclosed.
WAV's strategic positioning focuses on stocking depth and breadth at the WISP/ISP/MSP layer of the broadband value chain, with recent moves including the November 2024 acquisition of ISP Supplies, expansion into Canadian distribution through MBSI WAV, and product line updates covering Wi-Fi 7, 6GHz fixed wireless, and Build America, Buy America compliant equipment aligned with the $42.45 billion US BEAD broadband program. The company has no public funding history, no disclosed investor base, and operates with a small employee footprint (11-50) consistent with an asset-intensive but headcount-light distribution model.
WAV firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- WAV
- Legal name
- WAV
- Website
- https://wavonline.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- WAV is a value-added distributor of fiber, fixed wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, IoT, and LTE networking equipment, serving more than 10,000 WISPs, ISPs, MSPs, telcos, and municipal customers across North America through seven warehouse locations and 70,000+ stocked SKUs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
WAV industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wireless Networking Equipment Distribution
- NAICS
- Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)
- SIC
- Computer Communications Equipment (3576)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Network Backbone & Core IP Transport (Long-Haul/Metro IP) (HDAIAFAG)
Keywords
Where WAV is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aurora
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
WAV business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Distribution: WAV generates revenue as a full-service distributor of fiber and fixed wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, IoT, physical security and LTE solutions. They maintain one of the largest and most consistent stocking positions in the market, supporting WISP, ISP and managed service provider partners with inventory across seven strategic locations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based pricing for all products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
WAV product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WAV (WAV Wireless Outfitters) is a value-added distributor of wired and wireless networking equipment, specializing in connecting customers to the Internet through fixed wireless broadband, fiber, Wi-Fi, private LTE, IoT, and physical security products. The company stocks 70,000+ SKUs from manufacturers such as Tarana Wireless and Cambium Networks across seven strategic warehouse locations in North America, serving WISP, ISP, MSP, Telco, and municipal customers. WAV also provides value-added services including predictive WiFi modeling, financing options, technical support, and professional training/certifications (e.g., MikroTik, Cambium).
Product overview
WAV is a full-service distributor of fiber and fixed wireless broadband, Wi-Fi, IoT, physical security, and LTE solutions. The company operates as a broad product portfolio distributor rather than a single unified platform, offering over 70,000 SKUs across multiple product categories. The core product categories include Fiber Products (encompassing fiber accessories, testing/splicing, and FTTX infrastructure), Infrastructure (towers, mounts, grounding equipment), Network Cabling & Accessories, Routers & Switches, VoIP, WIFI (including Wi-Fi 7 and Wi-Fi 6 access points), IoT devices, Installation Equipment, and Enclosures. Featured brands include Tarana Wireless, Cambium Networks, NetPoint, and Cyclone. The company also provides professional services including consulting, education, and training programs. With inventory in seven strategic locations across North America, WAV supports WISP, ISP, managed service provider, Telco, and municipal partners with expert product knowledge and multi-vendor solution support.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fiber Products
Companies that use WAV
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
WAV technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
WAV partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- ISP SuppliescoreWAV completed the acquisition of ISP Supplies, a broadband solutions provider based in Texas, to expand its distribution capabilities across the United States. The acquisition aims to enhance product offerings and customer support for markets including WISP, ISP, Telco, MSP, and municipal sectors.
- Tarana WirelesscoreTarana Wireless is a key equipment manufacturer whose products are distributed by WAV. The partnership includes promotional programs such as Tarana Customer Referral Promotion and Tarana Starter Kit/Tower Builder financing promotions.
- Cambium NetworkscoreCambium Networks is a key supplier partner. WAV participates in the Cambium Connected Partner Program and offers Cambium promotions and certifications including ePMP, cnPilot, cnWave, and enterprise solutions.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
WAV competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AccelTex Solutions: Value-added distributor specializing in wireless networking infrastructure for WISPs, MSPs, and enterprise Wi-Fi — overlapping product categories (Wi-Fi, fixed wireless, enclosures) and serving a nearly identical customer base.
- Tessco Technologies: Long-standing distributor of wireless infrastructure equipment (towers, fixed wireless, broadband) to carriers, WISPs, and integrators; closest legacy analog to WAV's WISP/ISP value-add model.
- Westcon-Comstor: Global value-added distributor of networking and security gear with established relationships to carriers, service providers, and integrators; comparable VAR/channel-business model and overlapping vendor relationships.
- Jenne Inc. Value-added distributor focused on UC, networking, and communications equipment serving resellers and service providers; similar channel-driven model with adjacent vendor portfolio.
Broad incumbents
- ScanSource: Large-cap hybrid distributor of communications, networking, and security solutions; substantially broader portfolio than WAV but competes for the same channel-reseller and broadband-equipment wallet.
- Ingram Micro: Worldwide IT distribution incumbent with a large communications/networking category; not specialty but increasingly targets WISP and broadband opportunities that overlap with WAV's core.
- TD SYNNEX: Global IT distributor formed via Tech Data + SYNNEX merger; broadline competitor with growing carrier/networking and IoT exposure that competes with WAV for SMB and channel accounts.
- ADI Global Distribution: Distributor of low-voltage, security, networking, and communications products; significant overlap on physical security, enclosures, and broadband infrastructure SKUs.
- Graybar: Distributor of electrical and communications infrastructure; overlaps with WAV on cable, connectivity, and broadband deployment materials for enterprise and carrier customers.
Others
- Cambium Networks: Strategic OEM partner rather than competitor — relevant peer because WAV's positioning, product mix, and go-to-market are tightly coupled with Cambium's fixed wireless and Wi-Fi portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
WAV social profiles
Digital presenceWAV financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
WAV leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
WAV subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
WAV funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
WAV M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about WAV
What does WAV do?
WAV (WAV Wireless Outfitters) is a value-added distributor of wired and wireless networking equipment, specializing in connecting customers to the Internet through fixed wireless broadband, fiber, Wi-Fi, private LTE, IoT, and physical security products. The company stocks 70,000+ SKUs from manufacturers such as Tarana Wireless and Cambium Networks across seven strategic warehouse locations in North America, serving WISP, ISP, MSP, Telco, and municipal customers. WAV also provides value-added services including predictive WiFi modeling, financing options, technical support, and professional training/certifications (e.g., MikroTik, Cambium).
Is WAV a public or private company?
WAV is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was WAV founded?
WAV was founded in 1989. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is WAV based?
WAV is headquartered in Aurora, United States, in the North America region.
How does WAV make money?
One revenue line is on record: equipment Distribution.
Who are WAV's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AccelTex Solutions, Tessco Technologies, Westcon-Comstor and Jenne Inc.. Broad incumbents are ScanSource, Ingram Micro, TD SYNNEX, ADI Global Distribution and Graybar. Cambium Networks is listed as an others.
Does WAV have an API?
No public API is recorded for WAV.
What industry is WAV in?
WAV's product category is Wireless Networking Equipment Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAFAG, Network Backbone & Core IP Transport (Long-Haul/Metro IP). Its NAICS code is 5171 and its SIC code is 3576.