Alabama Fiber Network

What Alabama Fiber Network does

Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) is a wholesale middle-mile fiber optic network operator serving all 67 counties of Alabama. The company was established in 2021 as a public-private partnership following the Connect Alabama Act and was designated the middle-mile executor for the state's Be Linked Alabama broadband initiative. AFN's core offering is an all-fiber backbone spanning 6,500+ miles with 62 points of presence, powered by Ciena's optical and packet switching technology and built primarily through underground construction across rural Alabama.

AFN does not serve residential customers directly. Instead, it provides wholesale connectivity services — Dedicated Internet and IP Transit, Ethernet services (EPL/EVPL and Private ELAN/VPLS), optical transport wavelengths (OTN/Waves), Dark Fiber IRU leases, and Colocation — to last-mile ISPs, electric cooperatives, and institutional anchor tenants including educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and government offices. The company's revenue model is subscription-recurring with quote-based, annually billed enterprise contracts negotiated through a direct sales channel.

AFN's go-to-market operates through three parallel motions: a channel-partner motion via 8 rural electric cooperatives and rural ILECs that contribute dark fiber and extend last-mile reach; an enterprise field-sales motion engaging anchor institutions (schools, hospitals, government offices, and businesses); and a competitive RFP-led motion securing major state infrastructure contracts such as the Alabama Supercomputer Authority's Project ELEVATE initiative. The business has been substantially underwritten by public funding — $85M in ARPA state appropriation (January 2022), $82.4M ADECA competitive grant (September 2022), and a $128.8M extension award (February 2024) — alongside private investment from its 8 electric cooperative partners. The network reached full 67-county availability in October 2025, ahead of its February 2026 target, with leadership under CEO Terry Metze.

Name

Alabama Fiber Network

Legal name

Alabama Fiber Network

Website

https://alabamafibernetwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alabama Fiber Network is a wholesale middle-mile fiber optic operator providing dedicated internet, Ethernet, wavelength, dark fiber, and colocation services to last-mile ISPs, electric cooperatives, and institutional anchor tenants across all 67 Alabama counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Telecommunications Infrastructure (Middle-Mile Fiber Network Services)

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)

SIC

Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Wholesale Wavelength, Spectrum & Dark Fiber Providers (IRU/Leases) (HDAIALAI), Carrier Ethernet Services (E-Line/E-LAN/E-Tree) (HDAIAFAC), Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)

Keywords

• Middle-mile fiber network
• Wholesale broadband infrastructure
• Dark fiber leasing
• Ethernet transport services
• Open-access fiber backbone

Headquarters

HQ city

Prattville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dedicated Internet and IP Transit: Provides dedicated internet access and IP transit services to businesses, institutions, and service providers across Alabama
2. Ethernet Services (EPL/EVPL and Private ELAN/VPLS): Point-to-point and multipoint Ethernet services for enterprise connectivity
3. Waves - OTN Transparent Transport: Optical transport network wavelength services for high-capacity data transmission
4. Dark Fiber - IRU Leases and Special Projects: Indefeasible Right of Use leases and special project deployments for dark fiber infrastructure
5. Colocation Services: Rack space, power, and security services for network equipment housing

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Alabama Fiber Network operates an open-access, all-fiber middle-mile backbone across Alabama's 67 counties, selling wholesale connectivity capacity to last-mile ISPs, electric cooperatives, and institutional anchor tenants. Service offerings include Dedicated Internet and IP Transit, Ethernet (EPL/EVPL and Private ELAN/VPLS), OTN Waves, Dark Fiber IRU leases, and Colocation, delivered over a Ciena-powered underground fiber network.

Product overview

Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) is a middle-mile fiber optic network operator providing wholesale connectivity services across Alabama's 67 counties. Rather than serving residential customers directly, AFN operates as a backbone infrastructure provider enabling last-mile internet service providers, electric cooperatives, and other carriers to deliver high-speed internet to end users. AFN's service portfolio includes Internet (Dedicated and IP Transit), Ethernet (EPL/EVPL and Private ELAN/VPLS), Waves (OTN Transparent Transport), Dark Fiber (IRU Leases and Special Projects), and Colocation services. The company partners with electric co-ops and private ISPs to extend fiber services across both urban and rural Alabama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Internet (Dedicated and IP Transit) Provides dedicated internet access and IP transit services over AFN's fiber network infrastructure, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity for businesses, institutions, and service providers across Alabama.
• Ethernet (EPL/EVPL and Private ELAN/VPLS) Offers Ethernet Private Line (EPL), Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL), and Private ELAN/VPLS services for point-to-point and multipoint enterprise connectivity solutions across Alabama.
• Waves (OTN Transparent Transport) Provides Optical Transport Network (OTN) transparent wavelength services for high-capacity backbone connectivity between major network nodes across the AFN footprint.
• Dark Fiber (IRU Leases and Special Projects) Offers indefeasible right of use (IRU) leases for dark fiber strands and special project deployments for organizations requiring dedicated fiber infrastructure.
• Colocation (Rack, Space, Power, and Security) Provides colocation services including rack space, physical space, power, and security at network points of presence across Alabama.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650+ local institutions connected across Alabama
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Alabama Supercomputer AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026AFN selected by ASA to provide broadband infrastructure for Project ELEVATE initiative. Partnership connects 300+ locations, nearly 100 hub sites, and three high-speed backbone connections between Atlanta, Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery. Phase 1 targeted July 1, 2026, Phase 2 by July 1, 2027.
• Central Alabama Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative partner contributing dark fiber strands and expertise to the Alabama Fiber Network. One of eight Alabama electric cooperatives that partnered with AFN to build the statewide middle-mile network.
• Covington Electric Cooperative Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative partner contributing dark fiber strands and expertise. Part of the eight-cooperative coalition that enabled AFN's network buildout.
• Cullman Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative partner contributing dark fiber infrastructure and operational expertise to AFN's statewide network.
• Coosa Valley Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative contributing dark fiber strands and expertise to the Alabama Fiber Network buildout.
• Joe Wheeler EMCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA Touchstone Energy Cooperative partner contributing dark fiber infrastructure and expertise to the AFN network.
• North Alabama Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative partner contributing dark fiber strands and expertise to AFN's middle-mile network across northern Alabama.
• Tombigbee Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural electric cooperative contributing dark fiber infrastructure to support AFN's connectivity expansion in eastern Alabama.
• Power South Energy CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnergy cooperative partner in the AFN ecosystem, contributing to Alabama's broadband infrastructure development.
• Alabama PowermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Alabama utility operating as a cooperation partner with Alabama Fiber Network in the statewide middle-mile initiative.
• Be Linked AlabamamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlabama's statewide broadband initiative for which AFN serves as the crucial middle-mile executor. AFN partners with Be Linked to drive broadband expansion across all 67 counties.
• Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency administering US Treasury State Fiscal Recovery Funds and ARPA funding. ADECA's Digital Expansion Division awarded $82.4M to AFN and provided ongoing support for the middle-mile network project.
• CienamajorTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing optical and packet switching technology that powers AFN's all-fiber network. The 'Powered by Ciena' branding indicates strategic technology integration.
• One NetworkmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLast-mile partner working with AFN to deliver connectivity to educational and institutional locations under Project ELEVATE initiative.
• Rural ILECsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRural incumbent local exchange carriers partnering with AFN to expand fiber services across Alabama.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Consolidated Communications: Regional ILEC/rural-focused carrier with significant fiber-to-the-premises and middle-mile connectivity across 20+ states. Comparable in rural broadband emphasis and middle-mile support for last-mile providers, though broadly diversified across many geographies.
• Lumen Technologies: Large incumbent carrier offering wholesale Ethernet (EPL/EVPL/ELAN), IP transit, and wavelength services over a nationwide fiber backbone. Overlaps with AFN's Ethernet, IP transit, and OTN wavelength product set as a much larger broad-spectrum provider.

Direct peers

• Lightpath: Wholesale fiber and Ethernet services provider (formerly Altice USA Business) focused on enterprise and carrier customers in the Northeast. Comparable product overlap including EPL/EVPL, ELAN, dedicated internet, and dark fiber.
• Zayo Group: Private wholesale-only fiber operator with extensive dark fiber, wavelength, and Ethernet services across North America. Closest analog to AFN's open-access middle-mile wholesale model, though at much larger scale and geographic scope.
• Syringa Networks: Open-access middle-mile fiber operator serving rural Idaho with carrier Ethernet, dark fiber, and wavelength services. Highly comparable as a smaller-scale open-access rural middle-mile wholesale fiber provider.
• Crown Castle Fiber: Owns ~90,000 route miles of fiber and is a major wholesale dark fiber and small-cell backhaul provider. Directly comparable on dark fiber IRU leases and wholesale backhaul services targeting carriers and ISPs.
• Mid-Atlantic Broadband (MBC): Virginia-based public-private middle-mile nonprofit operating regional fiber backbone. Closely comparable governance model (cooperative/public partnership), open-access wholesale services, and rural-focused mission similar to AFN.

Emerging players

• Tombigbee Communications (Tombigbee Electric Cooperative): One of AFN's eight electric cooperative partners; broadband subsidiary delivering fiber services in eastern Alabama. Comparable as a smaller-scale rural cooperative broadband operator using AFN middle-mile infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alabama-fiber-network

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Alabama Fiber Network