Alabama Lightwave

What Alabama Lightwave does

Alabama Lightwave is a founder-owned fixed wireless internet service provider founded in 2019 by Josh Lambert and headquartered in Centreville, Alabama. The company operates a private LTE/5G network of point-to-multipoint wireless towers serving 8 towns across Bibb, Chilton, and Choctaw counties (Centreville, Brent, Eoline, Six Mile, Woodstock, Jemison, Thorsby, and Butler), with build-to-suit enterprise DIA available across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Its technical stack combines Nokia AZQC CBRS small cells, Baicells radios, a Rapid5GS packet-core automation layer authored by the CEO atop open-source Open5GS, LibreQOS traffic shaping deployed on every tower, and direct peering at the Montgomery Internet Exchange (MGMIX) from its own autonomous system AS395673. Multi-path circuit engineering combines microwave backhaul, fiber, Starlink, and 5G/LTE for enterprise customers requiring redundancy.

The business sells tiered recurring subscriptions across four residential plans ($55-$105/month for 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps), three business plans ($100-$150/month with static IP and SLA on MAX), and Lightwave ENTERPRISE DIA circuits up to 10G symmetric with BGP and a 24/7 Alabama NOC. Adjacent products include Lightwave TALK VoIP landline ($25-$40/month), Lightwave APX apartment wireless ($65/month), Lightwave XR extended-range rural internet, and the Lightwave LINK mobile app streaming live tower weather cameras. Pricing is all-in, month-to-month, no contracts, with essential-worker discounts and free standard installation. Go-to-market blends a website availability checker, door-to-door field sales, local word-of-mouth, and a WBRC FOX6 weather-camera partnership that provides recurring broadcast exposure.

The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed external institutional funding, operates with a small named team, expanded via acquisition of Wolf Broadband in 2024, and relies on a mix of municipal, SMB, residential, and selected enterprise customers. Revenue mechanics are subscription recurring with custom-priced enterprise overlays, and the company positions itself as a local, contract-free alternative to incumbents that have deprioritized rural Alabama.

Name

Alabama Lightwave

Legal name

Alabama Lightwave, Inc.

Website

https://alabamalightwave.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alabama Lightwave is a founder-owned fixed wireless internet service provider delivering tower-to-home broadband (50 Mbps to 1 Gbps) plus landline, enterprise DIA, and weather-camera services to residential, SMB, government, and enterprise customers across 8 towns in 3 rural Alabama counties, with build-to-suit enterprise service across five southeastern states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fixed Wireless Internet Service

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Wireless ISPs (WISPs) & Fixed Wireless Access Providers (HDAIADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ), Managed Wi‑Fi & WLAN Services (Campus/Branch) (HDAIAGAB), Wi‑Fi 6/6E/7 Infrastructure & Multi‑Gig Switching for WLAN (HDAFACAE)

Keywords

• Fixed wireless internet
• Rural broadband service
• Wireless ISP services
• Business internet connectivity
• Dedicated internet access

Headquarters

HQ city

Centreville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Residential Fixed Wireless Internet: Monthly subscription for fixed wireless broadband internet delivered to homes. Residential plans range from $55 to $105/month with unlimited data, no contracts, all-in pricing. Speed tiers: Basics (50 Mbps), Essential (100 Mbps), Plus (200 Mbps), MAX (300 Mbps–1 Gbps). Revenue is recurring monthly, driven by subscriber growth across Bibb, Chilton, and Choctaw counties.
2. Business Fixed Wireless Internet: Monthly subscription for business-grade fixed wireless broadband. Business plans range from $100 to $150/month with static IP included, priority local support, and SLA on MAX tier. Includes Wi-Fi mesh equipment on higher tiers. Revenue is recurring monthly.
3. Lightwave ENTERPRISE (DIA): Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) circuits built to the customer's address. Symmetric speeds up to 10G. Comes with written SLA, static IPs (/29 IPv4 standard), BGP support, and 24/7 Alabama NOC. Construction costs may apply for custom builds. This is a custom-priced enterprise product with site-survey-based pricing. Multi-path convergent circuits (microwave + fiber + Starlink + 5G) are available.
4. Lightwave APX (Apartment Wireless): Apartment-specific fixed wireless internet for select multi-family buildings in Centreville. $65/month all-in, $99 deposit. Unlimited data, 50–200 Mbps download, 5–10 Mbps upload. No drilling, no landlord permission required. Revenue is recurring monthly from individual apartment unit subscribers.
5. Lightwave TALK (Landline Phone): Real landline phone service over the internet connection. $25/month all-in for Lightwave internet customers; $40/month for third-party internet customers. Includes unlimited local and long-distance, E911, caller ID, voicemail-to-email, eFax, call forwarding, auto-attendant. One-time install fees of $0 for Lightwave customers, $250 for third-party internet customers, $350 for Starlink customers. Revenue is recurring monthly plus one-time install fees.
6. Essential Worker Discounts: All essential worker plans receive a permanent monthly discount: $5 off Basics, $5 off Essential, $10 off Plus, $15 off MAX. Qualifying workers include firefighters, cops, paramedics, dispatchers, teachers, nurses, and full-time public agency staff. This is a discount program that applies across all subscriber plans, not a separate revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Alabama Lightwave is a locally owned fixed wireless internet service provider (WISP) that delivers broadband internet from tower-to-home using LTE, 5G, and proprietary radio technologies across rural Alabama. The company sells residential and business internet subscriptions, dedicated symmetric enterprise circuits (DIA) up to 10G, landline phone service (Lightwave TALK), apartment-specific wireless (Lightwave APX), and extended range rural coverage (Lightwave XR), all on month-to-month all-in pricing.

Product overview

Alabama Lightwave is a locally owned fixed wireless internet service provider offering a tiered portfolio of residential, business, and enterprise internet services across Alabama. The core offering consists of consumer-facing fixed wireless plans (Lightwave Basics, Essential, Plus, MAX) ranging from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps, complemented by business plans (Business Essential, Plus, MAX) with static IPs and SLA support. Additional products include Lightwave TALK (landline VoIP service), Lightwave APX (apartment-specific wireless), Lightwave XR (extended range rural coverage), and Lightwave ENTERPRISE (dedicated symmetric internet access up to 10G). The Lightwave LINK mobile app provides live tower camera feeds for severe weather monitoring. All services operate on a month-to-month, all-in pricing model with no contracts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lightwave TALK: Landline phone service delivered over Alabama Lightwave's own network. $25/month for Lightwave internet customers, $40/month on supported third-party providers. Includes unlimited local and long-distance, E911, caller ID, voicemail-to-email, eFax, call forwarding, and auto-attendant.
• Lightwave APX
• Lightwave ENTERPRISE
• Lightwave LINK
• Lightwave XR

Products and services

• Residential Fixed Wireless Internet Month-to-month fixed wireless broadband internet service for households in Bibb, Chilton, and Choctaw counties. Speed tiers from 50 Mbps (Basics) up to 1 Gbps (MAX) on line-of-sight connections, with unlimited data, no contracts, free standard installation, and free Wi-Fi router. Designed for rural and suburban households lacking reliable high-speed internet.
• Business Fixed Wireless Internet Fixed wireless internet service for small and medium businesses, retail shops, home offices, and local commercial operations. Tiers range from 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and include static IP addresses, priority local support, and SLA-backed connectivity on the MAX tier.
• Lightwave ENTERPRISE (DIA) Build-to-suit dedicated symmetric internet access for large enterprises, government agencies, and critical-infrastructure operators across Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi. Includes static IPs (/29 IPv4 standard), BGP with customer ASN support, and multi-path convergent circuit engineering combining microwave, fiber, Starlink, and 5G/LTE.
• Lightwave TALK (Landline Phone) Real landline phone service delivered over the internet connection, priced at $25/month for Lightwave internet customers and $40/month on supported third-party providers. Includes unlimited local and long-distance, E911 address mapping, caller ID, voicemail-to-email, eFax, call forwarding, auto-attendant, and spam blocking. Supports number porting from any carrier.
• Lightwave APX (Apartment Wireless) Apartment-specific fixed wireless internet for residents of multi-family buildings in Centreville, AL. $65/month all-in for 50-200 Mbps download and 5-10 Mbps upload. No drilling, no landlord permission required, fully wireless from equipment to unit, no contract, cancel any time.
• Lightwave XR (Extended Range Internet) Extended range fixed wireless internet targeting rural addresses beyond standard coverage. Delivers 50-200 Mbps download speeds in areas previously served only by expensive satellite internet. Single plan at $85/month with $99 installation fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Latency as low as 15 ms on Lightwave MAX plans, with LibreQOS eliminating bufferbloat
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vertical Axis LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2018Tower construction partner since 2018. Vertical Axis LLC (Minneapolis, MN) is the primary tower contractor for Alabama Lightwave, responsible for building, modifying, lighting, grounding, and inspecting the tower portfolio across Bibb, Chilton, and Choctaw counties. They also installed the rooftop weather camera at the historic John Hand Building in downtown Birmingham and the statewide WBRC FOX6 weather camera network on Alabama Lightwave structures. Services include new site civil and steel, sector and backhaul antenna installation, licensed SAF Tehnika Part 101 microwave backhaul, DC plant and cabinet installation, Motorola R56 grounding and cadwelding, FAA 7460 and FCC ASR closeouts, biennial structural inspections, and 24-hour emergency storm response. Vertical Axis has active crews in Birmingham, AL and Houston, TX.
• Nimbus Solutions LLCcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017LTE and 5G network planning and integration partner since 2017. Nimbus Solutions (Durango, CO) handles RF design, spectrum planning, and packet-core integration for the Nokia AZQC and Baicells radios on the Alabama Lightwave network. Owner and lead engineer Michael Halls runs a real production licensed fixed-wireless network across Southwest Colorado, so he approaches planning from operational experience rather than consulting theory. Halls authored Rapid5GS Pro (sold through The Edge Mile), connecting him to the packet core software. Consulting covers private LTE and 5G network design, mobile core operations, CBRS and licensed spectrum strategy, RF and site engineering, and ongoing optimization for WISPs and rural broadband operators.
• MGMIX (Montgomery Internet Exchange)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Alabama Lightwave is a member of MGMIX, the Montgomery Internet Exchange (established 2016, RSA Dexter Avenue Datacenter, downtown Montgomery, AL). MGMIX is Alabama's first internet exchange point and one of only four in the Southeast. Alabama Lightwave peers here alongside Meta, Hurricane Electric, State of Alabama, Auburn Montgomery, City of Montgomery, and County of Montgomery. This peering arrangement keeps Alabama-to-Alabama traffic in Alabama rather than transiting through Atlanta or Dallas, reducing latency and hops.
• Centreville Tech LLCcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2015Marketing, customer apps, and website development partner since 2015. Centreville Tech LLC (Centreville, AL) runs Alabama Lightwave's website, Lightwave LINK mobile app, brand work, social media campaigns, and marketing engine. The firm and Alabama Lightwave share a founder (Josh Lambert) but are separate legal entities with separate clients. Centreville Tech is pivoting toward fractional CMO and customer-app work for small and rural ISPs, with active clients including Alabama Lightwave and Streamline Internet. Website: centrevilletech.com.
• WBRC FOX6coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 1949Weather coverage partner. WBRC FOX6 in Birmingham, AL (Gray Media FOX affiliate, serving Central Alabama since 1949) uses Alabama Lightwave's statewide tower-mounted HD camera network for live on-air commentary during severe weather events. Chief Meteorologist Wes Wyatt and the WBRC First Alert Weather team use these cameras. The feeds also appear in the WBRC mobile app during live weather coverage. Alabama Lightwave customers and verified first responders can stream all cameras 24/7 via the Lightwave LINK app. Notable install: rooftop of the historic John Hand Building in downtown Birmingham (current home of CommerceOne Bank).
• DNA Supply Chain SolutionsminorOthersFreight forwarding and customs brokerage partner for Alabama Lightwave's international and domestic telecom equipment shipments. DNA Supply Chain Solutions is a 30+ year freight forwarder with FMC license #019344, C-TPAT compliance, and bonded warehouse capability. They handle heavy-freight shipments from The Edge Mile on Alabama Lightwave's behalf. They run a tracking platform called SAMMIE for predictive ETAs and exception alerts, and assign a dedicated Client Success Officer (Christian Cevallos) to coordinate shipments.
• Rapid5GScoreTechnology or IntegrationRapid5GS is the LTE and 5G packet core software powering Alabama Lightwave's private LTE network. It is a one-command automation layer on top of Open5GS (open-source 5G Core/EPC) that enables a production-grade LTE/5G packet core deployment in minutes. Authored by Josh Lambert (CEO of Alabama Lightwave), openly sponsored by Alabama Lightwave and Centreville Tech. The control plane handles installation, monitoring, base-station status, attached-user device tracking, throughput, and network logs. Full source is published on GitHub. Rapid5GS Pro (a managed GUI product) is sold through The Edge Mile. Real-world performance: line-of-sight LTE on Nokia AZQC regularly exceeds 600 Mbps; non-line-of-sight routinely clears 200 Mbps.
• The Edge MilecoreTechnology or IntegrationNokia LTE equipment source and private-LTE/private-5G deployment specialist. The Edge Mile (Centreville, AL) is the single point of contact for Alabama Lightwave's LTE radio chain. They catalog and supply Nokia AZQC three-sector CBRS site kits with tested 4T4R RRHs and antennas, refurbished Baicells 436Q kits, accessories, and SIMs, bundled with Rapid5GS Pro and consulting. Founded by Josh Lambert (Alabama Lightwave CEO) and Tommy Waldrop, two veteran WISP operators. Heavy freight on every shipment is handled by DNA Supply Chain Solutions. Ships domestic and international.
• WISPA (Wireless Internet Service Providers Association)minorOthersAlabama Lightwave is a proud member of WISPA, the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association. WISPA is the trade association representing WISPs across the United States.
• Bibb County Chamber of CommerceminorOthersAlabama Lightwave is a proud member of the Bibb County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber membership provides local business networking, community credibility, and access to local business events and county fairs.
• Open5GScoreTechnology or IntegrationOpen5GS is the open-source implementation of the 5G Core (5GC) and EPC (Evolved Packet Core) functions defined by 3GPP. It is the foundation that Rapid5GS automates and that Alabama Lightwave runs in production for its private LTE deployment. Open5GS is maintained at open5gs.org. Alabama Lightwave uses Rapid5GS (its own deployment automation layer on top of Open5GS) to run its LTE/5G packet core.
• Uniti FibercoreTechnology or IntegrationUniti Fiber (AS13760) is one of two upstream transit providers for Alabama Lightwave's internet connectivity. They provide Tier-2 IP transit with deep Southeast routes. Combined with GIGSOUTH (AS2728) and direct MGMIX peering, this provides three diverse paths off Alabama Lightwave's network.
• GIGSOUTHcoreTechnology or IntegrationGIGSOUTH (AS2728) is one of two upstream transit providers for Alabama Lightwave's internet connectivity. A regional carrier with diverse Southeast paths, independent of Uniti Fiber. Combined with Uniti Fiber and direct MGMIX peering, this provides three diverse paths off Alabama Lightwave's network.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Rise Broadband: Rise Broadband is the largest fixed wireless internet provider in the U.S., serving rural and small-town customers across 20+ states with similar tower-to-home technology, residential tiers at $50–$100/month, and an enterprise/business segment. Same core model, same target geographies, same competitive set as Alabama Lightwave.
• NextLink Internet: NextLink Internet is one of the largest rural fixed wireless ISPs in the U.S., operating across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and other states. Like Alabama Lightwave, it builds tower-to-home and point-to-point wireless networks in geographies that national carriers avoid, with a focus on underserved rural and small-town markets and a growing enterprise / wholesale business.
• Resound Networks: Resound Networks is a Texas-based WISP delivering rural and small-town fixed wireless internet to residential and business customers. Comparably sized to Alabama Lightwave and operates on the same tower-to-home model, WISPA membership, and same target customer pain points (incumbent abandonment).
• Surf Broadband Solutions: Surf Broadband Solutions is a Midwest fixed wireless and fiber ISP serving Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan with similar residential and business tiers. Closely comparable to Alabama Lightwave in model, customer mix (rural households + SMBs), and growth-via-acquisition trajectory.
• Point Broadband: Point Broadband is a rural-focused broadband ISP offering fixed wireless and fiber across the Southeast and Midwest. Same 'underserved small towns' value proposition as Alabama Lightwave, with comparable residential/business tiering and an actively pursued enterprise / wholesale tier.
• Wisper Internet: Wisper Internet is a Midwest- and South-based WISP serving rural Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas with fixed wireless broadband. WISPA member like Alabama Lightwave; comparable size and same rural-broadband playbook targeting households and small businesses ignored by incumbents.
• Etheric Networks: Etheric Networks is a fixed wireless ISP serving the San Francisco Bay Area with point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links for residential and enterprise customers, including dedicated access. A direct peer in delivery model (fixed wireless + enterprise DIA) and pricing structure, though it operates in a denser, higher-ARPU geography.
• Starry Group Holdings: Starry is a fixed wireless broadband ISP that pioneered mmWave point-to-multipoint residential service in dense U.S. cities. It is a direct peer on the wireless-broadband ISP business model (subscription, no-contracts, all-in pricing, apartment-focused service), though it targets urban rather than rural geographies.

Emerging players

• T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile Home Internet uses 5G fixed wireless access over its nationwide cellular network to deliver home internet in rural and small-town areas where Alabama Lightwave also operates. It is a competitive substitute for the residential fixed wireless product at scale, though it lacks the local presence, customization, and SLAs of a community-rooted WISP.
• Starlink (SpaceX): Starlink is the rural-broadband alternative that Alabama Lightwave explicitly displaces in its marketing. LEO satellite competes for the same underserved households, but with materially higher latency (~600 ms vs. 15–30 ms) and data caps. Alabama Lightwave even integrates Starlink into enterprise multi-path circuits — both a competitor for residential and a complementary uplink for DIA customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/joshualambert/rapid5gs
• Facebookfacebook.com/alabamalightwave
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alabama-lightwave-

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 Alabama Lightwave