East Kentucky Network

Name

East Kentucky Network

Legal name

East Kentucky Network, LLC

Website

https://ekn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Infrastructure Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (51711), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Telecommunications (517)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

IP Transit & Internet Backbone (Tier-1/2, peering, DIA) (HDAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Metro Ethernet & Regional Transport Connectivity (HDABALAI), Cloud Connectivity & Interconnect (Cloud On-Ramps, IX, Cross-Connects) (HDAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Fiber optic networks
• Data center services
• Enterprise connectivity
• Dark fiber leasing
• Colocation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ivel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Data Center Services: State-of-the-art data center providing secure, accessible storage solutions for business systems and data with redundant power and environmental controls
2. Fiber Network Services: High-speed fiber connectivity services including Ethernet, transport, and dedicated internet access (DIA) up to 100 Gbps
3. Enterprise Circuit Services: Customized enterprise circuit solutions including Ethernet, IP DIA, video multicast, transport, and port protection services with various speed tiers (10Mb to 100Gb)
4. Colocation Services: Colocation services offered at their data center facility
5. Dark Fiber: Dark fiber leasing for enterprise customers requiring dedicated fiber infrastructure

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

East Kentucky Network operates a regional fiber optic backbone and in-house data center to deliver enterprise connectivity and data storage services. Offerings include Ethernet, IP DIA (Dedicated Internet Access), Dark Fiber, Transport, Video Multicast, Colocation, and managed data center services, with consumer wireless services provided through its Appalachian Wireless sub-brand. Services are delivered over a 400-mile redundant fiber ring spanning 7,500+ combined fiber miles with speeds up to 100 Gbps.

Product overview

East Kentucky Network (EKN) is a premier provider of enterprise and data storage solutions serving Appalachia and beyond. The company operates a unified portfolio built around three core infrastructure pillars: EKN Fiber (a 400-mile redundant fiber ring with up to 100 Gbps capacity across 7,500+ fiber miles), EKN Data Center (a 16,700-sq. ft. facility with redundant power and connectivity to Chicago, Ashburn, and Atlanta), and Enterprise Circuit Services (including Ethernet, IP DIA, Dark Fiber, and Colocation). Wireless services are delivered through the Appalachian Wireless sub-brand. The company has expanded from regional wireless services (since 1991) to offering global enterprise solutions, with network infrastructure upgrades including Cisco and Ciena DWDM/ROADM systems enabling high-capacity transport services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Appalachian Wireless: Wireless telecommunications brand operated by East Kentucky Network, serving eastern Kentucky as a wireless provider for over three decades.

Products and services

• EKN Data Center State-of-the-art 16,700-square-foot data center providing secure, accessible storage solutions for business systems and data, with redundant power sources, environmental controls, and transport capabilities to Chicago, Ashburn, and Atlanta hubs. Designed to serve businesses of any size or location.
• EKN Fiber Network Regional fiber network offering data transmission speeds up to 100 Gbps across a 400-mile redundant fiber ring extending over 7,500 combined fiber miles, serving as the foundation for data center, enterprise solutions, and wireless services.
• Enterprise Circuit Services Customized enterprise connectivity solutions including Ethernet, IP DIA (Dedicated Internet Access), Video Multicast, Transport, and Local Video Channels, with circuit rates from 10Mb to 100Gb available via the Access Service Request (ASR) quote process.
• Dark Fiber Dedicated fiber infrastructure leased to enterprise customers requiring private, high-capacity, unmanaged connectivity across EKN's fiber footprint.
• Colocation Services Secure colocation space and connectivity within EKN's 16,700-square-foot data center, enabling enterprise customers to house equipment with redundant power and environmental controls.
• DIA (Direct Internet Access) Dedicated Internet Access service providing enterprise-grade connectivity with guaranteed bandwidth, supported by EKN's fiber network and transport to major peering hubs.
• Appalachian Wireless Wireless telecommunications brand serving eastern Kentucky consumers and businesses for over three decades as part of the East Kentucky Network portfolio.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Appalachian WirelesscoreOthers · 1 January 2000Appalachian Wireless is an East Kentucky Network company (subsidiary/brand) that has been serving eastern Kentucky as a wireless telecommunications provider for over three decades. Established in 2000 as part of the EKN portfolio of services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shenandoah Telecommunications (Shentel): Regional fiber and wireless carrier serving the Mid-Atlantic with Glo Fiber broadband, Sprint/T-Mobile wholesale, and enterprise services. Closely comparable to EKN's combined fiber + wireless (Appalachian Wireless) model in a similar rural/Appalachian-adjacent geography.
• Zayo Group: Wholesale fiber operator offering dark fiber, wavelength, Ethernet, and IP services with extensive long-haul and metro footprint. Highly comparable to EKN's dark fiber, DIA, and enterprise transport portfolio, but at national scale.
• Ritter Communications: Regional fiber carrier serving Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Kentucky with business connectivity, residential broadband, and hosted services. Closely comparable to EKN as a regional carrier targeting rural/small-metro enterprise and wholesale customers.
• Syringa Networks: Regional fiber carrier in the Intermountain West offering Ethernet, wavelength, dark fiber, and colocation. Comparable to EKN's regional carrier model, though operating in a different geography with similar enterprise and wholesale focus.
• altafiber (formerly Cincinnati Bell): Regional fiber and telecom operator serving Greater Cincinnati and adjacent geographies with fiber broadband, enterprise, and wholesale services. Geographic and product-line overlap with EKN's fiber and enterprise focus in the Ohio Valley / Appalachian region.
• Consolidated Communications: Multi-state regional ILEC and fiber carrier offering residential broadband, enterprise Ethernet, and wholesale transport. Comparable to EKN in serving rural/small-metro markets with fiber-based enterprise circuits and carrier services.
• Bluegrass Cellular: Regional wireless carrier serving central Kentucky with mobile and fixed wireless services. Comparable to Appalachian Wireless as a rural Kentucky wireless provider and adjacent fiber backhaul user.
• Metronet: Multi-state fiber-to-the-premises ISP and enterprise carrier operating in the Midwest and Southeast. Comparable to EKN's fiber-based broadband and enterprise connectivity, with overlapping geographies in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Broad incumbents

• Lumen Technologies: Tier-1 U.S. carrier providing IP transit, DIA, Ethernet, wavelengths, and colocation with global reach. Comparable to EKN's DIA, transport, and peering services, with overlapping IX presence in Chicago and Ashburn, but at vastly larger scale.
• Crown Castle Fiber: Major fiber and small-cell infrastructure operator with significant metro and long-haul networks plus 40,000+ tower sites. Comparable to EKN's fiber + Appalachian Wireless wireless infrastructure, but operating at portfolio scale across the U.S.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/east-kentucky-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 East Kentucky Network