Carrier Access
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersClive, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Carrier Access does
Carrier Access, Inc. is a privately held, carrier-neutral connectivity and managed services provider headquartered in Clive, Iowa, with additional offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1999, the company serves as a single point of contact between clients and a portfolio of 100+ connectivity providers — including Lumen (Platinum Partner), AT&T, Flexential, Equinix, Crown Castle, Frontier, EarthLink, Aureon, and Mediacom — across the United States. It targets both SMB-to-mid-market and Enterprise customers, with a horizontal segmentation approach and quote-based, monthly managed services pricing.
The company's product portfolio is organized around four core solution areas — Connectivity (voice, data, Ethernet, MPLS, SD-WAN, Private Lines), Data Center (colocation, managed hosting, hybrid cloud), Wireless (5G/LTE), and Unified Communications as a Service — supported by four service lines: Account Management, Service Delivery, 24/7 Service Desk, and Professional Services. Its technology approach centers on carrier-neutral advocacy, proprietary service desk capabilities, a client portal for account and ticket management, and ITIL Foundation 4-certified service delivery processes. A January 2022 minority investment in Entrepreneurial Technologies extends the platform into custom application development under the EntreTechno sub-brand, while Carrier Access IT covers broader IT services.
Carrier Access generates revenue through managed services and professional services engagements, billing monthly on a quote basis tailored to each client's network and provider requirements. It maintains a direct enterprise field-sales motion with senior account executives owning territories, supported by dedicated Service Delivery Managers and channel relationships with carrier partners. The company reports an industry-leading Net Promoter Score of 84 in 2024 (versus a telecom industry average of 31) and serves 2,500+ clients nationwide. It is founder/owner-led, with Brendan Phelps as CEO/Owner and Shane Stark as President/Owner, and has completed a planned leadership transition in January 2024 promoting Shane Stark to President and Kelly Scothorn to COO.
Carrier Access firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carrier Access
- Legal name
- Carrier Access, Inc.
- Website
- https://carrieraccessinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carrier Access industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecom Managed Services
- NAICS
- Agents for Wireless Telecommunications Services (517122), Telecommunications Resellers (517121), Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385), Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Numbering, DID, Porting & Carrier-of-Record Services (HDAIAHAK)
Keywords
Where Carrier Access is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clive
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Carrier Access business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Managed Services - Connectivity Solutions: Carrier Access generates revenue through managed services focused on connectivity solutions including voice, data, wireless, and network services. They act as a carrier-neutral advocate, sourcing and procuring telecom solutions from multiple providers on behalf of clients.
- Professional Services - Project Management: Expert project management services that bridge vendors, providers, and contractors to complete telecom projects, including vendor coordination, customized solutions, and comprehensive project oversight.
- Wireless Management Services: Wireless solutions including 5G/LTE management, carrier and plan selection, rate negotiation, and ongoing mobile fleet management.
- Data Center Services: Data center services including hybrid and multi-cloud architecture, cloud transformation, migration, security, compliance, and wholesale/retail site evaluation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Customized managed services based on client requirements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Carrier Access product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carrier Access, Inc. is a carrier-neutral connectivity advocate that sources, procures, and manages voice, data, wireless, and network services from 100+ provider partners on behalf of business clients. It delivers end-to-end telecom lifecycle management — from carrier sourcing and procurement through implementation, 24/7 service desk support, and ongoing account optimization — supplemented by data center, UCaaS, and custom application development offerings.
Product overview
Carrier Access operates as a carrier-neutral connectivity advocate providing a comprehensive suite of telecom and technology services. The core portfolio consists of four main practice areas: Connectivity (voice, data, Ethernet, MPLS, SD-WAN, Private Lines), Data Center (colocation, managed hosting, hybrid cloud), Wireless (5G/LTE solutions), and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). These are supported by four service offerings: Account Management (sourcing and procurement), Service Delivery (implementation management), 24/7 Service Desk (support and troubleshooting), and Professional Services (project management). A strategic partnership with Entrepreneurial Technologies extends capabilities into custom App Development. Together, these products and services provide end-to-end lifecycle management from procurement through ongoing support, serving clients from SMB to Enterprise across the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EntreTechno: Application development services offered through strategic partnership with Entrepreneurial Technologies
- Carrier Access IT
Products and services
- Connectivity Voice and data connectivity solutions including Ethernet, MPLS, SD-WAN, and Private Lines. Includes infrastructure evaluation, technology recommendations, and provider negotiation services for SMB through Enterprise clients.
- Data Center Data center services including colocation, managed hosting, hybrid and multi-cloud architecture, cloud migration, security, compliance, and wholesale/retail site evaluation.
- Wireless (5G/LTE) 5G and LTE wireless solutions including carrier and plan selection, rate negotiation, and secure mobile device management for organizations.
- Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Cloud-based unified communications platform merging voice, video, messaging, and conferencing, with provider evaluation, requirements documentation, demos, scorecards, and implementation oversight.
- Account Management Carrier sourcing, procurement, and optimization services acting as a single point of contact to streamline provider interactions and future-proof client network infrastructure.
- Service Delivery Provider order management from contract signature through client activation, with a dedicated Service Delivery Manager guiding implementation from start to finish.
- 24/7 Service Desk Round-the-clock telecom support for moves, adds, changes, disconnects, billing inquiries, and outage management, with provider escalation through resolution.
- Professional Services Expert project management bridging vendors, providers, and contractors to complete telecom projects on time and within budget.
- App Development (Entrepreneurial Technologies Partnership) Custom application and software solutions offered through a strategic partnership with Entrepreneurial Technologies, extending Carrier Access capabilities into custom app development.
Quantifiable outcome
- NPS of 84 achieved in 2024, compared to telecom industry average of 31
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Carrier Access
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Carrier Access technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Carrier Access partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Entrepreneurial TechnologiescoreCarrier Access announced partial ownership and strategic partnership with Entrepreneurial Technologies (ET) as of January 1, 2022. The partnership combines CA's connectivity and network expertise with ET's skills in custom application and software solutions, creating a one-stop solution for full spectrum technology and connectivity services.
- Lumen TechnologiesflagshipLumen Platinum Partner status, providing enterprise connectivity solutions including Network as a Service (NaaS), Active Optical Network (AON), and Wave services.
- AT&TcoreCarrier partner providing wireless and connectivity solutions to clients.
- FlexentialcoreData center and connectivity partner providing colocation and managed hosting services.
- EquinixcoreGlobal data center partner providing interconnection and colocation services.
- Crown CastlecoreInfrastructure partner providing tower and small cell connectivity solutions.
- Frontier CommunicationscoreCarrier partner providing business connectivity and network services.
- EarthLinkcoreCarrier partner providing business internet and networking solutions.
- AureoncoreRegional technology and connectivity provider partner serving Midwest markets.
- MediacomcoreCarrier partner providing commercial broadband and connectivity services.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carrier Access competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sandler Partners: Sandler Partners is a master agent agency selling business communications, cloud, and managed services through a partner channel. It directly overlaps with Carrier Access in the carrier-neutral advisory model and competes for similar end-customer budgets across UCaaS, connectivity, and SD-WAN.
- Intelisys (ScanSource): Intelisys, a ScanSource company, is a technology services distributor and master agent providing cloud and telecom solutions. It competes head-to-head with Carrier Access in the agent-channel and managed-services market, working with similar carrier partners to serve enterprise and SMB customers.
- WTG (World Telecom Group): WTG is a master agent and telecom expense management firm offering carrier-neutral procurement and lifecycle management. It directly overlaps with Carrier Access's managed services and telecom management offerings for mid-market and enterprise customers.
- Avant Communications: Avant is a technology services distributor and master agent specializing in telecom, cloud, and IT solutions for partners and agents. It directly competes with Carrier Access in the carrier-neutral advisory space, offering similar multi-carrier sourcing and managed services to enterprise customers.
- Bridgepointe Technologies: Bridgepointe is a master agent and technology advisory firm focused on helping mid-market and enterprise clients procure telecom, UCaaS, and managed services. It is a direct peer to Carrier Access, offering similar carrier-neutral sourcing, lifecycle management, and advisory services.
- PlanetOne Communications: PlanetOne is a technology services distributor and master agent connecting partners with telecom, cloud, and managed services providers. It competes directly with Carrier Access as a multi-carrier agent and managed services provider for SMB and mid-market customers.
- Telarus: Telarus is the largest US master agent for telecom, cloud, and connectivity services, sourcing deals for partners across hundreds of carriers. It is the closest direct competitor to Carrier Access's core master-agent/managed-services model, competing for the same agent-channel deals and supplier commissions.
Others
- Cologix: Cologix is a network-neutral interconnection and data center operator partnered with Carrier Access for colocation services. While not a direct competitor, it is part of Carrier Access's partner ecosystem and an adjacent infrastructure provider in the same telecom value chain.
Emerging players
- AppDirect: AppDirect operates a digital marketplace platform connecting businesses with cloud, connectivity, and SaaS providers. It overlaps with Carrier Access's carrier-neutral managed services model but does so via a software/marketplace rather than a high-touch agent model, representing a digitally-native alternative.
Regional players
- Lightpath (Altice USA Business): Lightpath is an Altice-owned fiber and managed services provider serving enterprise and carrier customers in the Northeast US. It overlaps with Carrier Access's enterprise connectivity practice but serves a different geography and competes as a carrier rather than an agent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carrier Access social profiles
Digital presenceCarrier Access compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Carrier Access financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carrier Access leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Carrier Access subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Carrier Access funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carrier Access 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 Carrier Access
What does Carrier Access do?
Carrier Access, Inc. is a carrier-neutral connectivity advocate that sources, procures, and manages voice, data, wireless, and network services from 100+ provider partners on behalf of business clients. It delivers end-to-end telecom lifecycle management — from carrier sourcing and procurement through implementation, 24/7 service desk support, and ongoing account optimization — supplemented by data center, UCaaS, and custom application development offerings.
Is Carrier Access a public or private company?
Carrier Access is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Carrier Access founded?
Carrier Access was founded in 1999. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Carrier Access based?
Carrier Access is headquartered in Clive, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carrier Access make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Managed Services - Connectivity Solutions are the primary driver. The others are professional Services - Project Management, wireless Management Services and data Center Services.
Who are Carrier Access's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sandler Partners, Intelisys (ScanSource), WTG (World Telecom Group), Avant Communications, Bridgepointe Technologies, PlanetOne Communications and Telarus. Cologix is listed as an others. AppDirect is listed as an emerging player. Lightpath (Altice USA Business) is listed as a regional player.
Does Carrier Access have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carrier Access.
What industry is Carrier Access in?
Carrier Access's product category is Telecom Managed Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAHAK, Numbering, DID, Porting & Carrier-of-Record Services. Its NAICS code is 517122 and its SIC code is 7385.