What Solarus does

Solarus is a privately held, facilities-based telecommunications company headquartered in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, operating under the legal names Wood County Telephone Company, Central Wisconsin Communications LLC, and Manawa Telephone Company. Originally founded in 1896 as Wood County Telephone Company and rebranded to Solarus in the 2010s, the company is owned by approximately 800 local stockholders who are also customers, distinguishing it from national incumbents and institutional carriers. It is described as the largest independent telecommunications company in Wisconsin, serving roughly 17,000 residential, small/medium business, and enterprise customers across a defined central Wisconsin footprint that includes Wisconsin Rapids, Manawa, Nekoosa, Port Edwards, Rudolph, Plover, Marshfield, and Arkdale.

The company's core offering is fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) Internet with symmetric speeds ranging from 400 Mbps to 2 Gbps for residential customers and up to 10 Gbps for enterprise accounts, supported by VDSL fallback in limited areas. The product portfolio is anchored on this fiber access layer and extends into managed Wi-Fi (GigaSpire BLAST router with Wi-Fi 6 and the MySolarus iOS/Android control app), traditional and VoIP residential phone service, cable TV packages at $59 and $147 per month, and a business stack comprising hosted phone via 3CX unified communications, SIP trunking, PRI circuits, Yealink IP endpoints, Ubiquiti security cameras, and enterprise-grade WAN/SD-WAN delivered in partnership with AT&T, TDS, Frontier, WIN, and NSight. Cybersecurity is delivered via WatchGuard. Distribution is direct and local, combining website self-serve ordering, phone sales, two physical offices, on-site field sales for enterprise, retail bill-payment partnerships, and 24/7 live technical support.

Solarus operates a recurring subscription revenue model with monthly residential tiers priced from $54.99 (Essential Access 400 Mbps) to $189.99 (Fiber Elite 2 Gbps), business Internet at a flat $169.99 across three speed tiers, phone add-on pricing of $10/month when bundled vs. $30 standalone, and free professional installation every 24 months (residential) or with 12-month commitments (business). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer and direct-to-SMB/enterprise, with no disclosed resellers, distributors, or channel partners. Customer segments include residential households, local SMBs, and enterprise accounts in healthcare, education, manufacturing, printing, and media, including Aspirus, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools, Assumption Catholic Schools, Kolbe Windows & Doors, Billerud, H&S Manufacturing, TCR Integrated Stamping Systems, Quality Printing, and WFHR.

Name

Solarus

Legal name

Wood County Telephone Company, Central Wisconsin Communications, LLC, and Manawa Telephone Company, collectively d/b/a Solarus

Website

https://solarus.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Solarus is a privately held, locally owned facilities-based telecom serving approximately 17,000 residential, SMB, and enterprise customers across central Wisconsin with fiber-to-the-home Internet (400 Mbps to 2 Gbps symmetric), hosted phone via 3CX, cable TV, and managed Wi-Fi, operating as the largest independent telecommunications company in the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Services

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Fiber ISPs (FTTH/FTTP Retail Providers) (HDAIADAE)

Keywords

• Fiber optic internet
• Telecommunications services
• Hosted phone systems
• Cable TV packages
• Business internet connectivity

Headquarters

HQ city

Wisconsin Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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. Residential Internet Service: Subscription-based fiber and broadband internet services for residential customers with tiered pricing based on speed (400 Mbps to 2 Gbps), includes whole-home Wi-Fi and security features
2. Business Internet Service: Subscription-based business internet packages with speeds up to 10 Gig, includes free installation (12-month commitment), free email addresses, and dedicated local sales support
3. Home Phone Service: Residential phone service with unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling; standalone at $30/month or bundled with internet at $10/month; includes free caller ID, voicemail, conferencing, and call forwarding
4. Cable TV / TV Services: Traditional cable TV packages (Network tier at $59/month, Premier tier at $147/month) with FREE HD, Cloud DVR, 36-Hr Lookback, and WatchTV Everywhere streaming capability
5. Hosted Phone / Business Phone: Cloud-based hosted phone service for businesses using 3CX platform, eliminating need for on-premise hardware; includes voice, video conferencing, chat, and CRM integration

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Solarus delivers fiber-to-the-home Internet, residential and business phone, cable TV, and cloud-based hosted communications to roughly 17,000 residential and enterprise customers across central Wisconsin. Service is sold primarily through monthly recurring subscriptions, with plans ranging from 400 Mbps to 2 Gbps fiber for homes and up to 10 Gbps for businesses, supported by 3CX unified communications and managed Wi-Fi equipment.

Product overview

Solarus is a telecommunications company (formerly Wood County Telephone Company, est. 1896) offering a comprehensive suite of connectivity and communications services. The product portfolio centers on fiber-to-the-home Internet (residential plans from 400 Mbps to 2 Gbps; business plans from 200 Mbps up to 10 Gbps), traditional and VoIP phone services, cable TV packages (Network and Premier tiers), and cloud-based hosted phone systems using 3CX technology. The offering includes Wi-Fi equipment (GigaSpire BLAST routers), the MySolarus mobile app for network management, and enterprise solutions such as WAN/SD-WAN, cloud, cybersecurity, and security cameras. The core differentiator is symmetric fiber speeds and integrated services for both residential and business customers in Wisconsin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Fiber Internet Symmetric fiber-to-the-home Internet for households with plans ranging from 400 Mbps (Essential Access) to 2 Gbps (Fiber Elite), including Wi-Fi 6, built-in cybersecurity, parental controls, and no data caps.
• Business Fiber Internet Fiber Internet for small and medium businesses with speeds from 200 Mbps to 400 Mbps and free installation with a 12-month commitment; enterprise-grade options up to 10 Gbps are available separately.
• Residential Phone Service Traditional home phone service with unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling, free caller ID, voicemail, conferencing, and call forwarding, sold standalone at $30/month or bundled with Internet at $10/month.
• Cable TV Service Cable TV packages including a $59/month Network tier with local broadcast channels and a $147/month Premier tier with 185+ channels, FREE HD, Cloud DVR, 36-Hour Lookback, and WatchTV Everywhere streaming.
• Hosted Phone Service Cloud-based business phone system eliminating on-premise hardware with voicemail to email, call forwarding, video conferencing, call recording, auto-attendants, and 3CX integration for SMB and enterprise customers.
• SIP Trunking and PRI Scalable bandwidth-based voice service (SIP Trunking) with direct inward dialing and automatic failover, plus dedicated PRI supporting up to 23 concurrent calls per T1 circuit for businesses using existing phone systems.
• Enterprise Gigabit Internet High-capacity fiber Internet for enterprises with speeds up to 10 Gbps, supporting real-time collaboration, video conferencing, and large data transfers for large organizations, schools, and healthcare facilities.
• Enterprise WAN and SD-WAN Wide area network and software-defined WAN connectivity solutions for multi-location businesses, delivered in partnership with AT&T, TDS, Frontier, WIN, and NSight.
• Enterprise Cybersecurity Managed cybersecurity services protecting enterprise customers from financial loss, reputational damage, and operational disruption caused by malicious threats, delivered in partnership with WatchGuard.
• Enterprise Cloud and Project Support Services Enterprise cloud services providing scalability, security, and collaboration tools, combined with technical project support including planning, project management, technical support, and equipment sourcing for enterprise deployments.
• Business Security Cameras Security camera solutions using Ubiquiti devices offering 2K HD footage, dynamic range, audio options, and mobile/desktop access through an intuitive management portal for businesses.
• Whole-Home Wi-Fi with GigaSpire BLAST Whole-home Wi-Fi service including a free GigaSpire BLAST router with remote troubleshooting access, paired with the MySolarus app for device management, parental controls, and usage monitoring.
• VoIP Service Voice over Internet Protocol service requiring broadband connection and specialized terminal adapters for converting voice signals to IP for transport.
• WatchTV Everywhere Streaming Free streaming feature included with Solarus TV subscriptions that lets customers watch TV content on tablets or phones through the WatchTV Everywhere platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 ms latency on fiber connections
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• AT&TsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner for WAN and SD-WAN solutions; collaborates with Solarus to provide multi-location connectivity and tailored network transport solutions for enterprise customers
• TDSsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner for WAN and SD-WAN solutions; works with Solarus to craft customized connectivity solutions for business customers
• Frontier CommunicationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner for WAN and SD-WAN solutions supporting Solarus enterprise connectivity offerings
• WIN (Wisconsin Independent Network)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner providing infrastructure support for WAN and SD-WAN services in Wisconsin
• NSightsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner for WAN and SD-WAN connectivity solutions in the Wisconsin market
• 3CXcoreTechnology or Integration3CX is the unified communications platform powering Solarus Hosted Phone Service; enables web-based calling, video conferencing, live chat, CRM integration, and call center capabilities for business customers
• WatchGuardsupportingTechnology or IntegrationCybersecurity partner providing security solutions to protect business customers from financial loss, damaged reputation, and service disruption
• UbiquitisupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides highly-rated security camera lineup with next-gen 2K HD quality footage, dynamic range, audio options, and mobile/desktop access for business security solutions
• YealinksupportingTechnology or IntegrationIP phone manufacturer whose devices are part of Solarus business phone lineup including T43U, T46U, T54W, T57W, CP925, and CP965 conference phones

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Regional fiber overbuilder serving Greater Cincinnati and adjacent markets with residential fiber and business communications. Directly comparable as a similarly-sized regional fiber ISP with bundled voice, video, and managed services, though operating in a different geography.
• Bug Tussel Wireless: Wisconsin-based fixed wireless and fiber provider serving rural communities across the state, including some overlapping markets with Solarus. Comparable as a regional Wisconsin broadband competitor, particularly where fiber has not yet been built out.

Direct peers

• Charter Communications (Spectrum): Largest U.S. cable ISP offering broadband, TV, and phone — the primary asymmetric-cable competitor that Solarus differentiates against on symmetric fiber speeds. Operates adjacent Wisconsin markets and is the principal benchmark for residential ARPU and competitive dynamics.
• TDS Telecom (Cable One): Regional fiber and broadband provider across Wisconsin and surrounding Midwest states with comparable residential and business fiber offerings. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping Wisconsin footprint, similar rural/small-town service profile, and overlapping residential + business + enterprise portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Consolidated Communications: Regional fiber and broadband provider serving rural and mid-sized markets across the U.S. with comparable residential fiber, business, and enterprise voice offerings. Directly analogous business mix to Solarus at slightly larger scale.
• Frontier Communications: Regional fiber incumbent serving rural and secondary markets across the Midwest and U.S. with fiber internet, voice, and TV — same rural fiber-overbuild thesis as Solarus and an active wholesale partner for Solarus enterprise WAN services.
• AT&T: National incumbent telecom offering fiber internet, phone, and TV across the U.S., including rural Wisconsin. Comparable as both a competitive threat in Solarus's footprint and an active wholesale SD-WAN partner for Solarus enterprise customers.
• Lumen Technologies: National incumbent telecom with significant fiber footprint across the U.S., offering enterprise-grade connectivity, UCaaS, and managed services. Comparable as both an enterprise competitor and as a reference architecture for hosted voice/UC services.

Emerging players

• Starlink (SpaceX): Satellite broadband service from SpaceX targeting rural and underserved markets across Wisconsin. Comparable as an alternative connectivity option in areas where Solarus fiber is not yet available, and a potential threat to fixed wireless and DSL subscribers within Solarus's footprint.
• Metronet (T-Mobile): Rapidly expanding fiber overbuilder serving Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets across the Midwest and Southeast, recently acquired by T-Mobile. Comparable fiber-overbuild thesis and customer profile; represents the strategic fiber-overbuilder archetype Solarus competes against for rural broadband funding.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solarus

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 Solarus