NoaNet

What NoaNet does

NoaNet (Northwest Open Access Network) is a non-profit public broadband organization founded in 2000 by Washington State's Public Utility Districts (PUDs). It operates a wholesale, open-access fiber-optic network spanning more than 3,800 miles and reaching every county in Washington State, with a recently upgraded 2 Tbps backbone capacity. The company provides Internet Access, Ethernet, Transport, Colocation, and SD-WAN services to retail service providers and PUD members on a non-discriminatory basis, and it operates a dedicated Network Operations Center in Spokane Valley. NoaNet also delivers the statewide Next Generation 911 emergency communications dispatch network for Washington State public safety agencies, and runs a direct-to-home residential broadband sub-brand (NoaNet Community Broadband) in select PUD territories such as Chelan County.

The business model is wholesale-first and mission-driven: all revenues from selling wholesale services in the open market are reinvested into the network to fund the mission and ensure fiscal sustainability, and NoaNet does not collect tax dollars or subsidies from water or electrical ratepayers. Revenue is generated through recurring wholesale capacity agreements with retail ISPs and PUD members, complemented by Professional Services (broadband planning, network engineering, construction management, grant support) and Colocation/Data Center offerings. Customer segments are heavily weighted toward public-sector and utility buyers — PUDs, municipalities (e.g., City of Anacortes), statewide public safety agencies, libraries, and economic development districts — with indirect reach into residential and business end users via retail service providers riding the open-access network. Strategic positioning emphasizes digital equity, rural economic development, telemedicine, education, precision agriculture, and public safety communications in underserved Washington communities.

Name

NoaNet

Legal name

Northwest Open Access Network

Website

https://noanet.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NoaNet is a Washington State non-profit operating a 3,800-mile open-access fiber broadband network for PUDs, retail ISPs, municipalities, and public safety agencies, offering wholesale transport, colocation, and managed network services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Telecommunications Infrastructure

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Open-Access Fiber Network Operators (Wholesale-Only) (HDAIACAF)

Keywords

• Wholesale broadband services
• Fiber optic infrastructure
• Open access network
• Telecommunications services
• Public utility broadband

Headquarters

HQ city

Gig Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Broadband Services: All revenues from selling wholesale services in the open market are reinvested into the network to fund the mission and ensure fiscal sustainability. NoaNet operates as a non-profit and does not collect tax dollars or subsidies from water or electrical ratepayers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NoaNet operates a 3,800+ mile open-access wholesale fiber optic broadband network across Washington State, delivering Internet Access, Ethernet, Transport, Colocation, and SD-WAN services to retail service providers, Public Utility Districts, and businesses. It also provides the statewide Next Generation 911 emergency communications network and direct-to-home residential broadband through NoaNet Community Broadband in Chelan County.

Product overview

NoaNet operates a unified open-access broadband network platform with multiple service modules. The core offering is the Open Access Network infrastructure, which serves as the foundation for wholesale broadband services. This platform is complemented by five integrated service modules: Network Services (Internet Access, Ethernet, Transport, Colocation, SD-WAN), Professional Services (broadband planning, construction management, grant support), Business Solutions, Network Operations, and Data Centers. A specialized offering is the Next Generation 911 Network for public safety communications. The subsidiary brand NoaNet Community Broadband provides direct-to-home internet services in select areas. The organization functions as a wholesale-only provider, not competing with retail ISPs but enabling them through open-access infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Network Services Core wholesale broadband infrastructure services including Internet Access, Ethernet, Transport, Colocation, and SD-WAN solutions for retail service providers, carriers, and PUD members operating within Washington State.
• Professional Services Consulting and support services for communities and PUD members covering broadband planning, construction management, state and federal grant support, and workforce development assistance.
• Business Solutions End-user focused connectivity and broadband services for businesses operating within NoaNet's service territory across Washington State.
• Network Operations Network monitoring, maintenance, and operational support services for broadband infrastructure, delivered from NoaNet's state-of-the-art Network Operations Center in Spokane Valley.
• Data Centers Colocation and data center facilities supporting network infrastructure and customers across Washington State.
• Next Generation 911 Network Statewide highly reliable emergency communications dispatch network delivering Next Generation 911 services for Washington State's public safety agencies.
• NoaNet Community Broadband Direct-to-home internet service available in Chelan County through Chelan County PUD's open-access network, offering high-speed affordable internet with transparent pricing, no contracts, and 24/7 Washington-based support.
• Open Access Network Wholesale-only open-access fiber network infrastructure available on a non-discriminatory basis for competing businesses and service providers to deliver high-capacity broadband and voice services across Washington State.

Quantifiable outcome

• Next Generation 911 services now delivered statewide over highly reliable emergency communications dispatch network
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mason PUD 3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMason PUD 3 is a founding member of NoaNet and has been extending its open-access fiber optic network since 2000. PUD 3 serves over 34,000 electric customers in Mason County and partners with NoaNet for demand aggregation campaigns and fiberhood programs. NoaNet supported Mason PUD 3's Gigabit Fiberhood Program using COS Service Zones platform.
• Kitsap PUDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKitsap PUD is a founding member of NoaNet and has had positive experiences using COS System's software for demand aggregation and open access network operations.
• COS (Service Zones)coreTechnology or IntegrationNoaNet partnered with COS to offer demand aggregation and Open Access network operations support to member PUDs. COS Service Zones platform is used for demand aggregation campaigns and fiberhood programs.
• Chelan County PUDcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNoaNet Community Broadband is available in Chelan County through Chelan County PUD's open-access network, providing direct-to-home internet service with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
• Lewis County PUDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLewis County PUD joined NoaNet as an Affiliate Member, undertaking projects to bring broadband to rural areas like Boistfort Valley.
• Tri County Economic Development District (TEDD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNoaNet supports TEDD's broadband expansion projects, including the groundbreaking for the first major broadband project to bring high-speed internet to Central Stevens County. TEDD won a prestigious NADO Award for this work.
• Mid-Columbia LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMid-Columbia Libraries partnered with NoaNet and Paramount Communications to expand free internet access and library services in Benton County.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Ziply Fiber: Major fiber and DSL Internet provider serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Direct comparability through operating in NoaNet's core Washington geography with overlapping fiber infrastructure serving retail ISPs, enterprises, and rural communities.
• Ting Internet: Fiber-to-the-home ISP operating open-access-style networks in select U.S. cities and towns. Comparable in delivering fiber infrastructure to underserved markets and competing for the same end customers and PUD/ municipal partnerships.
• Consolidated Communications (now part of Searchlight Capital / Optiqs): Large incumbent fiber and broadband provider across rural and small-town America. Comparable as a wholesale and retail carrier serving rural and suburban communities in Washington-adjacent geographies.
• Lumen Technologies: National wireline carrier offering Ethernet, transport, colocation, and managed services. Comparable in selling wholesale enterprise and carrier services over fiber infrastructure similar to NoaNet's Network Services portfolio.
• Google Fiber: Large incumbent fiber ISP with an open-access-adjacent wholesale platform in select markets. Comparable in delivering gigabit fiber to underserved areas and competing with municipal/open-access networks for the same addressable demand.

Direct peers

• SiFi Networks: Open-access fiber network developer and operator that finances, builds, and operates wholesale-only FTTH networks for cities and utilities. Closely comparable to NoaNet's open-access wholesale model and PUD/community ownership structure.
• UC2B / Google Fiber partnership (Metronet-type municipal open-access projects): MetroNet and similar municipal/regional fiber operators use open-access-style architectures for fiber expansion. Comparable in targeting underserved communities with fiber broadband and partnering with electric cooperatives and municipal utilities.

Regional players

• Astound Broadband: Regional fiber and cable broadband provider in the Pacific Northwest (formerly Wave/RCN). Comparable in providing broadband service to Washington-area customers and competing for the same wholesale capacity relationships with PUDs and municipalities.

Others

• USDA Rural Utilities Service broadband recipients: Federal funding entity and comparable grantees (electric cooperatives, PUDs) deploying rural broadband. Comparable as ecosystem participants in the same non-profit/community-owned rural broadband universe in which NoaNet operates.
• COS Systems (Service Zones / Demand Aggregation): Open-access network management software and demand aggregation platform partner of NoaNet. Comparable as an enabling technology vendor in the open-access PUD community broadband ecosystem, supporting fiberhood campaigns and OSS/BSS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=2G6ZZC0koCg
• Xx.com/noa__net
• Facebookfacebook.com/northwestopenaccessnetwork

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 NoaNet