Hawaiian Telcom

What Hawaiian Telcom does

Hawaiian Telcom is a Hawaii-based integrated telecommunications provider founded in 1883 as the Mutual Telephone Company, now operating as a subsidiary of altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell) under Macquarie Asset Management ownership. The company delivers 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) internet, TiVo-powered Fioptics+ TV, home phone, Whole Home WiFi (via eero mesh), and HT SafeGuard cybersecurity (via F-Secure) to residential customers, alongside business internet, hosted VoIP, dedicated internet access, private networks, managed security, and data center colocation for enterprise and government clients. It also operates the SEA-US trans-Pacific submarine cable system, providing wholesale bandwidth and carrier services to other telecommunications providers.

The company generates revenue through recurring monthly subscriptions across speed tiers ($30/month for 100 Mbps to $100/month for 3 Gig symmetrical internet), multi-year promotional contracts with eBill discounts, equipment rentals (eero gateways $10–$15/month), TV channel packages, bundle discounts, and wholesale carrier fees. Distribution is multi-channel: self-serve online ordering for residential, dedicated field sales for enterprise and government, two physical retail stores in Honolulu and Kapolei, a residential sales partner/affiliate program, and a business reseller channel. Recent strategic focus centers on a landmark $1.7 billion investment announced January 2025 to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled state by 2026, having already reached 50% of the state by January 2024 and full enablement of Lana'i and Kaua'i. The company employs over 1,100 technology, communications, and customer service professionals and is led by President Su Shin, the first female president in the company's 140-year history.

Name

Hawaiian Telcom

Legal name

Hawaiian Telcom

Website

https://hawaiiantel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Hawaiian Telcom is a Hawaii-based integrated telecommunications provider offering 100% fiber-to-the-home internet, TV, phone, and business communications services. A subsidiary of altafiber (Macquarie Asset Management), it is investing $1.7 billion to become the first fully fiber-enabled U.S. state by 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Telecommunications (517), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), All Other Telecommunications (5178)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Computer Communications Equipment (3576)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Networking & Connected Home Infrastructure (Wi‑Fi Mesh, Routers, Matter/Thread/Zigbee Bridges) (HSAPAQAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unified Communications & Collaboration Network Services (VoIP/QoS) (BPAEAEAI), Residential Broadband CPE (DSL/Cable/Fiber Gateways) (HDAFAIAA)

Keywords

• Fiber-to-the-home internet
• Telecommunications services
• Residential broadband
• Business communications
• Submarine cable wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Residential Internet Services: Monthly subscription fees for Fioptics fiber internet at various speed tiers (100 Mbps to 3 Gbps). Includes promotional pricing for new customers with eBill discounts.
2. Business Internet & Communications: Business internet subscriptions (600 Mbps to 1 Gbps), dedicated internet access, private networks, hosted VoIP, SIP trunking, and managed security services.
3. TV Services: Fioptics+ TV subscriptions across Basic, Advantage, and Advantage Plus tiers; premium channel add-ons (HBO, Showtime, STARZ, Cinemax); international channel packs (Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese).
4. Home Phone Services: Local phone service (Go Local Plus, Basic), nationwide long distance plans, international calling packages with per-minute rates and unlimited options.
5. Wholesale Services: Undersea cable capacity (SEA-US), wholesale bandwidth, and carrier services to other telecommunications providers.
6. Equipment Rentals: Gateway/wireless router rental ($10-15/month), eero mesh extenders ($5/month), set-top boxes for TV service, and premium support services.
7. Bundle Discounts: Discounts applied when customers bundle internet, TV, and phone services together, creating customer stickiness and reducing churn.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hawaiian Telcom delivers 100% fiber-to-the-home (Fioptics) internet, TV, and voice services to residential customers across Hawaii, alongside business-grade internet, hosted VoIP, dedicated access, private networks, managed security, and data center colocation for enterprise customers. The company also operates the SEA-US trans-Pacific submarine cable system providing wholesale bandwidth to other carriers.

Product overview

Hawaiian Telcom offers a comprehensive telecommunications portfolio built around its 100% fiber-to-the-home Fioptics infrastructure. The core product is Fioptics Internet (offering speeds from 100 Mbps to 3 Gig symmetrical), paired with Fioptics+ TV (a TiVo-powered streaming platform). Add-on services include Whole Home WiFi (eero mesh technology), HT SafeGuard security (F-Secure powered), TV channel packages (Basic, Advantage, Advantage Plus, and premium add-ons), and Home Phone service. For business customers, offerings include Business Internet, Business VoIP, Dedicated Internet Access, Private Networks, Managed Security Services, and Data Center Colocation. The company also operates the SEA-US trans-Pacific submarine cable system for wholesale customers. Assistance programs include Fioptics Internet Assistance ($30/month for qualified households), Internet Kokua (low-income discounts), and Kupuna TV Discount (senior discounts). Hawaiian Telcom serves residential, business, and wholesale segments across Hawaii.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fioptics: 100% fiber internet service brand offering multi-gig speeds (100 Mbps to 3 Gig), TV streaming, and home phone services across Hawaii.
• HT SafeGuard
• Fioptics+
• Hawaiian Telcom Secure Network

Products and services

• Fioptics Internet (Residential) 100% fiber-to-the-home internet service offering symmetrical speeds from 100 Mbps to 3 Gbps for residential households across Hawaii, with 99.99% reliability and affordable long-term pricing without bundle requirements.
• Fioptics+ TV Streaming TV and entertainment platform powered by TiVo, offering voice search, universal search, OnePass, cloud DVR, and mobile apps for iOS, Android, Apple TV, and Amazon Firestick. Combines live TV and streaming apps in one experience.
• Whole Home WiFi

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.99% network reliability during normal operations and critical situations like the 2023 Maui wildfires
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hawaii Government LeaderscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2025Landmark $1.7 billion partnership to transform Hawaii into the first fully fiber-enabled state by 2026, involving government coordination and support.
• Navy Region HawaiicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2024Completed new fiber connection directly linking West and Metro Oahu, providing enhanced connectivity for military installations and surrounding communities.
• Vanta and Hawaii Esports LeagueminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 April 2024Title sponsor of Hawaii Esports League championship events, supporting local gaming community.
• Hale Lihu'eminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 February 2024Partnership to deliver Wi-Fi connectivity throughout new community center serving Kauai residents.
• Nexstar Media Inc.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 July 2023Channel agreement restoring six Nexstar channels including KHON2, MyNetwork and CW for local customers after FCC complaint and negotiation.
• Bell Charitable FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2022Independent charitable organization 501(c)(3) launched to support nonprofit organizations in areas where altafiber companies provide service. Awards grants focused on economic/social mobility and environmental sustainability.
• SEA-US ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Hawaiian Telcom invested $25 million to become an owner and operator of the Southeast Asia-United States (SEA-US) trans-Pacific submarine cable system. The 100 gigabit per second technology delivers 20 terabit per second capacity, connecting Indonesia, Philippines, Guam, Hawaii and California.
• Hawaii News Now (HNN)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to stream high school sports content live on HNN's website and via Fioptics+ TV channel KFVE.
• F-SecurecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with cybersecurity leader F-Secure to provide award-winning internet security protection through HT SafeGuard, including identity monitoring, banking protection, browsing protection, and password management.
• eero (Amazon)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with eero for WiFi technology. eero Pro 6E and Pro 7 mesh WiFi systems provided to Fioptics customers. eero TrueMesh technology optimizes home network coverage.
• TiVo (Xperi)coreTechnology or IntegrationPowered by TiVo for Fioptics+ TV platform, providing voice search, universal search, OnePass, SmartBar, Cloud DVR functionality, and mobile app streaming capabilities.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Charter Communications (Spectrum): Charter's Spectrum brand is the primary cable broadband and TV competitor in Hawaii, serving the same residential and business customers with bundled DOCSIS-based internet and TV. Most directly comparable in market overlap, product set, and target segments.
• altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Parent company that acquired Hawaiian Telcom in 2018; operates a near-identical fiber-to-the-home, TV, voice, and business services model in Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana. Closest strategic and operational comparable for the FTTH build-out, pricing, and bundling strategy.
• Frontier Communications: National fiber and DSL provider pursuing an aggressive FTTH overbuild across rural and suburban America. Comparable in business model (incumbent telco pivoting to fiber), customer segments, and product mix (internet, voice, TV).
• Lumen Technologies: Incumbent telecom with fiber and copper residential broadband, enterprise services (hosted VoIP, dedicated internet), and wholesale/carrier offerings. Comparable in legacy voice-to-fiber transition, enterprise/government focus, and wholesale carrier business.
• Consolidated Communications: Rural and small-market fiber and broadband provider pursuing FTTH upgrades with similar regulatory and federal-grant exposure (RDOF, CAF). Comparable in rural fiber economics, residential/business service mix, and capital-intensive transformation.
• TDS Telecom: Regional incumbent telco with fiber-to-the-home builds across rural and small-town America. Similar product portfolio (internet, TV, voice) and federal-grant participation for rural broadband expansion.

Broad incumbents

• AT&T: Large national incumbent offering fiber (where available), 5G home internet, and bundled wireless services in Hawaii. Competes in adjacent product categories (5G fixed wireless, mobile) and as a broader incumbent rather than a pure FTTH specialist.
• Verizon: National incumbent carrier that historically owned Hawaiian Telcom's predecessor (Verizon Hawai'i). Offers 5G home wireless and Fios-style fiber services on the mainland; competes in Hawaii primarily via fixed-wireless and mobile rather than wireline.
• T-Mobile: National wireless carrier expanding aggressively into 5G home internet and fixed-wireless broadband nationwide, including Hawaii. Competes for the same residential broadband dollars without owning last-mile fiber.
• Comcast (Xfinity): National cable broadband and TV provider; while not a major Hawaiian Telcom competitor in Hawaii, it is the canonical cable bundling benchmark for product set, pricing tiers, and bundled internet/TV strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HawTel
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hawaiiantelcom
• Facebookfacebook.com/hawaiiantelcom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hawaiian-telcom

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Hawaiian Telcom