Independents Fiber Network

What Independents Fiber Network does

Independents Fiber Network, doing business as CNI (Communication Network, Inc.), is a privately held regional fiber internet service provider headquartered in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Founded in 1994, the company operates over 6,000 route miles of owned fiber infrastructure across Ohio, delivering dedicated fiber connectivity to business customers in verticals including corporate enterprises, healthcare, education, finance, manufacturing, retail, and government. Its most prominent reference customer is NASA, for whom CNI provides the underlying fiber infrastructure serving the UAS Test Center and Complex in Springfield, Ohio.

The company's core technology is purpose-built fiber optic infrastructure with integrated network operations capabilities. Beyond raw connectivity, CNI layers on a 24/7/365 Network Operations Center providing real-time DDoS protection and proactive issue detection, plus add-on services including Call Center Support, CALEA trusted third-party compliance, GIGE+ gigabit Ethernet, and adaptive bitrate streaming video. The platform is differentiated less by novel technology than by physical network depth in Ohio and locally staffed support.

CNI generates revenue through recurring subscription contracts on dedicated fiber lines, with flexible term structures (annual, pre-pay, month-to-month) and quote-based pricing determined through consultation and on-site analysis. Go-to-market is direct enterprise and mid-market field sales — local account representatives conduct on-site assessments and design custom solutions — supplemented by digital channels (website, SEO, social) for lead generation. The company has no disclosed institutional investors, no funding rounds, and no public market presence.

Name

Independents Fiber Network

Legal name

CNI

Website

https://ifnetwork.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Independents Fiber Network (CNI) is a privately held Ohio-based fiber internet service provider operating over 6,000 route miles of owned fiber, delivering dedicated business connectivity and managed network services to enterprise, government, healthcare, education, finance, manufacturing, and retail customers across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fiber Internet Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Neutral-Host Fiber & Shared Access Network Operators (HDAIACAJ), Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)

Keywords

• Fiber internet services
• Business ethernet connectivity
• Dedicated fiber lines
• Network operations center
• DDoS protection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Wapakoneta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fiber Internet Services: Recurring subscription revenue from dedicated fiber internet services provided to business customers. Payment structures include annual, pre-pay, and month-to-month term commitments. Revenue is recurring in nature based on service contracts with customizable term lengths.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Independents Fiber Network (CNI) provides dedicated business fiber internet connectivity to organizations across Ohio, leveraging more than 6,000 route miles of owned fiber infrastructure. Services are delivered via a direct fiber line from the CNI network to the customer premises, with scalable bandwidth, 24/7/365 Network Operations Center monitoring, real-time DDoS protection, and flexible term commitments. The offering is bundled with complementary capabilities including Gigabit Ethernet (GIGE+), network operations support, CALEA-compliant trusted third-party services, and adaptive bitrate streaming.

Product overview

Independents Fiber Network (CNI) operates as a unified platform offering customizable fiber internet solutions for Ohio businesses. The core offering is Fiber Internet Solutions—a dedicated fiber line connectivity service—supplemented by integrated modules including Call Center Support, Network Operations (with 24/7 monitoring and DDoS protection), CALEA compliance services, ABR Streaming Video, and GIGE+ high-capacity connectivity. The company leverages over 6,000 route miles of fiber infrastructure to deliver these services with customizable bandwidth, flexible payment structures, and local support teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fiber Internet Solutions Dedicated business fiber internet service providing fast, reliable, and secure connectivity with scalable bandwidth options tailored to Ohio business needs. Delivered via a dedicated fiber line from the CNI network to the customer premises.
• Network Operations 24/7 network monitoring and operations service including real-time defense against DDoS attacks and continuous service monitoring from CNI's Network Operations Center.
• Call Center Support Call center support services integrated with fiber infrastructure for businesses requiring comprehensive communication solutions.
• CALEA Compliance Services Compliance assistance for lawful enforcement services providing trusted third-party capabilities for regulatory requirements under CALEA.
• ABR Streaming Video Adaptive bitrate streaming video service enabling businesses to deliver high-quality video content with bandwidth optimization.
• GIGE+ Gigabit Ethernet service providing high-capacity connectivity solutions for businesses with demanding bandwidth requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7/365 monitoring ensures issues are detected before customers are affected

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCNI provides the underlying fiber infrastructure to serve the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Test Center and Complex in Springfield, Ohio. This infrastructure enabled the facility to be selected for a NASA research project involving drone technology. This represents a significant government research partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• TDS Telecom: Regional fiber and broadband operator with growing business fiber services across the Midwest and Ohio-adjacent markets, comparable in scale and customer profile to CNI.
• WOW! (WideOpenWest): Regional cable and fiber operator providing business fiber and Ethernet services in Midwest markets including Ohio, overlapping with CNI's mid-market enterprise target.

Broad incumbents

• Zayo Group: Wholesale and enterprise fiber operator with national backbone and metro fiber, including Ohio presence, competing for enterprise and carrier Ethernet contracts of the type CNI pursues.
• Frontier Communications: Large fiber and wireline carrier expanding its fiber footprint in Ohio, offering dedicated fiber and Ethernet services to enterprise and mid-market customers — a direct enterprise competitor with national scale.
• Consolidated Communications: Fiber and wireline carrier (now private under Searchlight Capital) serving business customers with dedicated fiber, Ethernet, and managed services across the Midwest and beyond — overlapping CNI's enterprise connectivity positioning.
• Brightspeed: Regional fiber and wireline operator (formerly CenturyLink markets) expanding fiber in Ohio and surrounding states, competing for the same enterprise and mid-market fiber Ethernet customers.
• Spectrum (Charter Communications): Major HFC and emerging fiber operator with deep Ohio presence, serving business customers with broadband, Ethernet, and dedicated fiber — a key competitor on price-sensitive mid-market deals.
• AT&T Fiber: National incumbent aggressively expanding fiber-to-the-business across Ohio, including dedicated Ethernet and DIA services that compete directly with CNI's enterprise offerings, with deeper product breadth and marketing budget.

Direct peers

• MetroNet: Regional fiber-to-the-premises and business ISP with active Ohio buildouts, offering gigabit fiber services to residential and business customers in markets adjacent to CNI's territory.
• altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Major Ohio-based fiber and wireline operator providing fiber internet, Ethernet, and voice services to business and residential customers across Cincinnati, Dayton, and broader Ohio markets — directly overlapping CNI's core enterprise fiber footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CNIteam
• Facebookfacebook.com/IndependentsFiberNetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independents-fiber-network
• Xx.com/IFNetwork_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Independents Fiber Network