What Texas Lone Star Network does

Texas Lone Star Network (TLSN), legally The Texas Lone Star Network, L.L.C., is a consortium of 41 independent rural telecommunications carriers in Texas, established in 1998 and headquartered in Marble Falls. The organization was created to coordinate completion of a member-owned statewide fiber optic backbone connecting rural Texas service providers to one another and to major data centers in Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and Lubbock. TLSN functions as the single point of contact for all sales, marketing, engineering, provisioning, 24x7 NOC monitoring, network testing, billing, and collecting on behalf of its members.

The company's underlying technology is a core DWDM network with Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) at POPs, overlaid with what it describes as one of the largest MPLS and Ethernet Private Line Service (EPLS) networks in Texas. Service offerings include point-to-point optical wavelength (10GIG and 100GIG), Carrier Ethernet transport via EPLT and EVPL on the MPLS and Layer 2 networks (10 Mbps to 10 Gig), Dedicated Internet Access (50 Mbps to 10 Gig) with multiple Tier 1 IP transit connections, direct CDN peering with Google and Netflix, full BGP routing for IPv4 and IPv6, DDoS mitigation, and rural cell site backhaul. TLSN operates POPs in Equinix, Cologix, Telx, and DataBank in Dallas, Data Foundry in Austin and Houston, and CyrusOne in San Antonio, and extends Ethernet service beyond Texas via an ENNI with Indatel at the Dallas Rural Ethernet eXchange.

TLSN's business model is subscription-based, multi-year contract B2B telecom services priced via quote. Revenue streams include optical wavelengths, Ethernet transport, DIA, data center services, and cell backhaul, all delivered to a customer mix of member telcos (internal owners), enterprise and wholesale buyers, cellular carriers needing rural backhaul, and Texas educational institutions for research network connectivity. The company maintains a small core staff at Marble Falls supplemented by technical personnel from the 41 member companies. Geographic reach spans Texas and Eastern New Mexico, with multi-state Ethernet reach through the Indatel partnership.

Name

Texas Lone Star Network

Legal name

The Texas Lone Star Network, L.L.C.

Website

https://tlsn.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Texas Lone Star Network (TLSN) is a consortium of 41 independent rural telecommunications carriers operating a statewide fiber optic backbone that delivers enterprise, wholesale, and cell backhaul connectivity services across Texas and Eastern New Mexico.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Telecommunications Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Network Backbone & Core IP Transport (Long-Haul/Metro IP) (HDAIAFAG), Rural & Regional ISPs (HDAIADAI)

Keywords

• Wholesale telecommunications services
• Fiber optic network operators
• Optical wavelength transport
• Ethernet private line services
• Rural cell site backhaul

Headquarters

HQ city

Marble Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Optical Wavelength Services: Point-to-point optical wavelength service (10GIG and 100GIG) across the core optical network and member DWDM networks via POPs equipped with DWDM ROADMS
2. Ethernet Transport Services: Carrier Ethernet services (10 Mbps to 10 Gig) between all TLSN POPs including Ethernet Private Line Transport (EPLT) and Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) services. Includes ENNI connectivity with Indatel for multi-state Ethernet services.
3. Internet Access / Dedicated Internet Access (DIA): DIA service (50Mbps to 10Gig) with IP transit from multiple Tier 1 connections, direct peering with major CDNs (Google, Netflix), full BGP routing for IPv4 and IPv6. Includes DDoS mitigation services.
4. Data Center Services: Direct peering with major CDNs, cross-connects to major carriers and peering content providers at multiple Texas data centers
5. Cell Backhaul: Largest coverage for rural cell site backhaul in Texas and Eastern New Mexico. Provides one-stop for pricing, ordering, provisioning, installation, maintenance, and monitoring of new circuits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Texas Lone Star Network is a consortium of 41 Independent Rural Telecommunications Carriers that operates a statewide fiber optic backbone across Texas and sells wholesale and enterprise network services. Core offerings include Optical Wavelength (10GIG and 100GIG), Carrier Ethernet (10 Mbps to 10 Gig) with EPLT and EVPL, Dedicated Internet Access (50 Mbps to 10 Gig), data center services with direct CDN peering, rural edge data centers, and rural cell-site backhaul across Texas and Eastern New Mexico.

Product overview

TLSN operates as a consortium of 41 Independent Rural Telecommunications Carriers providing a unified network platform with multiple interconnected services. The core infrastructure consists of a DWDM network throughout Texas connecting major data centers (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Lubbock) and one of the largest MPLS networks in the state. The service portfolio includes Optical Wavelength Service (10Gbps/100Gbps), Ethernet Private Line Transport and EVPL (10 Mbps to 10 Gig), Dedicated Internet Access (50Mbps to 10Gbps), Data Center Services with CDN peering, Small Edge Data Centers for rural content delivery, and Cell Backhaul services. TLSN provides single-point-of-contact sales, marketing, engineering, provisioning, 24x7 NOC monitoring, network testing, billing, and collecting for all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optical Wavelength Service Point-to-point optical wavelength service in 10GIG and 100GIG capacities delivered across the core DWDM network and connected TLSN Member-owned Dense Wave Division Multiplexing networks, via POPs equipped with Reconfigurable Optical Add Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs). Direct fiber access and colocation at POPs are evaluated on an individual case basis. Targeted at wholesale carriers and enterprises requiring high-capacity transport between major Texas data centers.
• Ethernet Transport (EPLT and EVPL) Carrier Ethernet services ranging from 10 Mbps to 10 Gig between all TLSN POPs, including Ethernet Private Line Transport (EPLT) and Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) services delivered across the TLSN MPLS and Layer 2 networks. An ENNI with Indatel at the Dallas Rural Ethernet eXchange extends Ethernet point-to-point service from Texas to multiple other states. Targeted at wholesale carriers and enterprises needing carrier-grade Ethernet connectivity.
• Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) Dedicated Internet Access service in bandwidth tiers from 50 Mbps to 10 Gig, composed of IP traffic from multiple Tier 1 IP Transit connections and direct peering with the largest content delivery networks including Google and Netflix. Includes full BGP routing for IPv4 and IPv6, and can extend IP Transit service to any POP in the network via MPLS or Layer 2 Ethernet. Targeted at wholesale carriers and enterprises that require carrier-grade internet capacity with content-optimized performance.
• DDoS Mitigation DDoS mitigation services bundled with TLSN's IP Transit offerings to protect IP Transit customers from distributed denial of service attacks. Targeted at wholesale and enterprise IP Transit buyers requiring always-on protection.
• Data Center Services Data center connections with direct peering to the largest content delivery networks including Google and Netflix, plus cross-connects to most major carriers and peering content providers. Fully equipped POPs operate in Data Foundry TX1 in Austin, Equinix Dallas (1950 Stemmons Freeway), Cologix Dallas (1950 Stemmons Freeway), Telx Dallas (2323 Bryan), DataBank Dallas (400 S Akard), Data Foundry Houston 2 (660 Greens Parkway), and CyrusOne connectivity at 100 Taylor in San Antonio. Targeted at carriers and content-driven enterprises needing Texas data-center interconnect.
• Small Edge Data Centers Rural small edge data center facilities operated with TLSN members, providing low-traffic, low-profile locations to store data, support disaster recovery operations, and enable enterprises to push content closer to end users. Targeted at enterprises requiring distributed edge capacity in rural Texas locations.
• Cell Backhaul Rural cell site backhaul services providing the largest coverage for rural cell site backhaul in Texas and Eastern New Mexico. TLSN and its Member Telcos provide 24x7 network management and monitoring, with seamless coordination acting as a single point for pricing, ordering, provisioning, installation, maintenance, and monitoring of new circuits. Includes MTSO interconnect via the TLSN data center network. Targeted at wireless carriers, tower companies, and backhaul wholesalers serving rural Texas and Eastern New Mexico.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25 years of service to members (established 1998)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Nex-Tech Carrier SolutionsminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Ribbon CommunicationsminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Tri-Tower TelecomminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Mission Critical FacilitiesminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Indatel ServicescoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Indatel partnership includes ENNI (Ethernet Network-to-Network Interface) at their Dallas Rural Ethernet eXchange (REX). This allows TLSN customers Ethernet point-to-point service from Texas to multiple other states via the INDATEL Network.
• Ocular IPminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• SegraminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• ePlus TechnologyminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Sarah Miller, Inc.minorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• Naman, Howell, Smith, & Lee PLLCminorOthers · 1 January 2024Sponsor of TLSN 2024 Annual Meeting
• GooglecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN has direct peering connections with Google for content delivery. TLSN's DIA service includes IP traffic from Tier 1 IP Transit connections and direct peering connections with the largest content delivery networks including Google.
• NetflixcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN has direct peering connections with Netflix for content delivery. TLSN's DIA service includes IP traffic from Tier 1 IP Transit connections and direct peering connections with the largest content delivery networks including Netflix.
• Data FoundrycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN operates POPs in Data Foundry TX1 (Austin) and Data Foundry Houston 2 (660 Greens Parkway) data centers for data center services and direct CDN peering
• EquinixcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN operates POPs in Equinix Dallas (1950 Stemmons Freeway, Suite 1034) for data center services and carrier interconnectivity
• CologixcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN operates POPs in Cologix Dallas (1950 Stemmons Freeway) for data center services
• TelxcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN operates POPs in Telx Dallas (2323 Bryan) for data center services
• DataBankcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN operates POPs in DataBank Dallas (400 S Akard) for data center services
• CyrusOnecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024TLSN has connectivity at 100 Taylor in San Antonio via CyrusOne data center

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink): Large ILEC and wholesale carrier with deep Texas data center presence and enterprise transport services. Comparable across the full TLSN service stack (wave, Ethernet, DIA, cell backhaul) and is also listed as a TLSN member.
• Zayo Group: Large-scale fiber backbone and wholesale carrier providing wavelength, Ethernet, and DIA services across Texas data centers. Competes directly with TLSN for enterprise and wholesale RFPs and operates POPs in the same Dallas/Houston/Austin/San Antonio facilities.
• Frontier Communications: Major rural/regional ILEC pursuing a fiber-to-the-home expansion similar in spirit to TLSN's member-driven rural mission, with comparable wholesale and enterprise Ethernet services.
• Crown Castle: Major provider of fiber and cell-site backhaul (in addition to towers). Directly comparable for TLSN's largest revenue stream — rural cell backhaul across Texas — and operates one of the largest fiber footprints serving US carriers.
• Windstream Communications: Large rural/regional ILEC with significant Texas operations, wholesale fiber and enterprise services. Note: Windstream is itself a TLSN member, but at industry-level competes for the same wholesale and enterprise transport accounts across Texas.

Direct peers

• Shenandoah Telecommunications (Shentel / Glo Fiber): Regional/rural telecom with fiber expansion (Glo Fiber) plus enterprise and wholesale services including cell backhaul. Comparable business model of moving rural fiber into enterprise/wholesale revenue while serving rural end users.
• Indatel Services: National consortium/aggregator of independent rural telecom carriers operating the INDATEL Network and Rural Ethernet eXchanges (REXs) — the same partner network TLSN connects to via ENNI at the Dallas REX, making it the closest structural and operational analog.
• Great Plains Communications: Independent rural fiber provider operating across the Midwest with carrier Ethernet, wavelength, and wholesale services. Closely comparable rural-cooperative-style operating model and service portfolio to TLSN.
• Consolidated Communications: Mid-sized ILEC serving rural and mid-sized markets with fiber-based broadband, Ethernet, and wholesale transport services. Highly comparable as a rural/regional carrier focused on wholesale and enterprise connectivity similar to TLSN.
• Segra: Regional fiber carrier providing wavelength, Ethernet, and DIA services across the South Central US. Closely comparable business mix and customer profile to TLSN's enterprise and wholesale business (and already a TLSN partner/sponsor).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TexasLoneStarNetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Texas Lone Star Network