Columbia iConnect

What Columbia iConnect does

Columbia iConnect (legal entity Columbia Energy LLC) is a privately held rural internet service provider and a subsidiary of Columbia REA, a member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Walla Walla, Washington. The company delivers broadband wireless internet (5–50 Mbps with no data caps), fiber-optic internet (plans from $40 per month), Viasat-branded satellite internet for areas unreachable by terrestrial infrastructure, and Ooma-powered VoIP home phone service ($14.99 per month). It also resells DirecTV Stream and participates in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program and Lifeline subsidies. Service is concentrated in Walla Walla County and Columbia County, Washington, with adjacent footprints in Oregon; recent fiber build-outs have extended service into Touchet (November 2022) and other discrete rural corridors such as Mill Creek, Highway 124, Dodd Road, Peppers Bridge Road, Lowden, Frog Hollow Road, and Dayton.

The company operates a sales-led, direct-distribution model: customers acquire service primarily through phone outreach, the columbiainet.com website, service-availability checks via the parent cooperative's Smarthub portal, and an in-person Walla Walla Service Center at 2929 Melrose Street. Revenue is generated through recurring monthly subscriptions ($49.95–$149.99 across wireless, fiber, and satellite tiers), equipment leases ($5.95–$8.95 per month), and one-time installation fees ($59.95 wireless, $259.99 satellite). Primary customer segments are residential households and small-to-medium businesses in underserved rural areas, with a secondary segment of low-income households reached through federal assistance programs.

Strategically, Columbia iConnect functions as the broadband arm of an electric cooperative, leveraging its parent's community trust, utility back-office infrastructure, and regulatory relationships. Its competitive position rests on rural distribution advantage, federal program participation, and multi-technology coverage (fixed wireless, fiber, satellite) rather than proprietary technology or scale economics. The company is operating, with no disclosed funding events, M&A activity, or financial statements in the available data.

Name

Columbia iConnect

Legal name

Columbia Energy LLC

Website

https://columbiainet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Columbia iConnect is a rural internet service provider and subsidiary of Columbia REA electric cooperative, offering fixed wireless, fiber-optic, and satellite (Viasat) internet plus Ooma VoIP to residential and SMB customers in Walla Walla County, Columbia County, and adjacent areas in Washington and Oregon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Broadband Internet Services

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Satellite Telecommunications (51741)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Municipal & Community Broadband ISPs (HDAIADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Satellite Broadband Internet Access (Consumer/SMB) (HDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Rural broadband internet
• Fiber optic internet
• Fixed wireless broadband
• VoIP phone service
• Satellite internet provider

Headquarters

HQ city

Walla Walla

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Internet Service Subscriptions: Monthly subscription fees for wireless, fiber, and satellite internet services ranging from $49.95 to $149.99 per month depending on speed tier and service type
2. Equipment Rental/Lease: Monthly equipment lease fees for broadband routers and modems; $5.95 per month for wireless equipment
3. Installation Fees: One-time installation fees charged for new service setup; $59.95 for wireless installation
4. Satellite Equipment and Installation: Viasat satellite installation fee of $259.99 and equipment lease of $8.95 per month

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Columbia iConnect provides fixed wireless broadband internet (5–50 Mbps), fiber-optic internet (from $40/month), Viasat satellite internet, and Ooma-based VoIP phone service to residential and small business customers in Walla Walla County, Columbia County, and surrounding areas of Washington and Oregon. The company operates as a subsidiary of Columbia REA electric cooperative and accepts federal Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Program subsidies for qualifying households.

Product overview

Columbia iConnect is a telecommunications services provider offering a portfolio of internet connectivity and voice services. The core offerings include Broadband Wireless Internet (with plans from 5 Mbps to 50 Mbps), Fiber-optic Internet (starting at $40/month), and Viasat Satellite Internet as alternatives for underserved areas. Voice services are delivered through Ooma VoIP technology at $14.99/month. The company also participates in federal assistance programs (ACP and Lifeline) to provide affordable access. DirecTV Stream is offered as an add-on television service. All services are primarily targeted at residential and business customers in Walla Walla County, Columbia County, and surrounding areas in Washington and Oregon.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broadband Wireless Internet Fixed wireless broadband internet service offering download speeds from 5 Mbps to 50 Mbps with no data caps or overage fees. Available in areas where traditional wired internet services are not accessible. Targeted at rural residential and small business customers in Walla Walla County, Columbia County, and surrounding areas.
• Fiber-optic Internet High-speed fiber-optic internet service with plans starting at $40 per month, available in select areas including Mill Creek, Highway 124, Dodd Road, Peppers Bridge Road, JB George Road, Touchet, Lowden, Frog Hollow Road, and Dayton. Targeted at residential and small business customers in rural Pacific Northwest communities where fiber has been built out.
• Viasat Satellite Internet Satellite internet service via Viasat for areas where other access services are unavailable. Plans include Bronze 12 (12 Mbps, 40 GB, $69.99/month), Silver 25 (25 Mbps, 60 GB, $99.99/month), and Gold 30 (30 Mbps, 100 GB, $149.99/month). Targeted at residential and small business customers in the most remote service areas.
• Ooma VoIP Phone Service Home phone service powered by Ooma PureVoice HD technology, offering unlimited calling in the U.S., caller-ID, call-waiting, voicemail, 911, telemarketer blocking, and smart-home integration with Amazon Echo and Nest. Priced at $14.99 per month plus taxes and fees. Targeted at residential customers seeking a home phone line alongside broadband.
• DirecTV Stream Streaming television service offered as an add-on alongside Columbia iConnect's internet and phone services. Targeted at residential customers in the service area seeking bundled video entertainment.

Quantifiable outcome

• No data caps on wireless internet service
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ViasatcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColumbia iConnect is an authorized dealer and installer of Viasat Satellite Internet Service (formerly Excede Internet). Viasat provides internet access service when other access services are not available using satellite transmission technology. This partnership extends coverage to areas where fixed wireless and fiber are unavailable.
• OomacoreTechnology or IntegrationColumbia iConnect offers VOIP telephone service powered by Ooma technology. The Ooma PureVoice HD technology provides superior voice quality and reliability. Features include unlimited calling, caller-ID, call-waiting, voicemail, 911 service, and advanced privacy controls.
• DirecTV StreamminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorColumbia iConnect offers DirecTV Stream as part of their service portfolio, providing customers with streaming television options alongside internet and phone services.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)coreOthersColumbia iConnect participates in FCC-administered programs including the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which helps low-income households pay for broadband service and connected devices, and the Lifeline Program which provides up to $9.25 monthly discount for phone and internet services.
• Columbia REAcoreOthersColumbia iConnect is a subsidiary of Columbia REA (Rural Electric Association), a cooperative utility company. This parent-subsidiary relationship provides operational infrastructure and community connections typical of rural electric cooperatives expanding into telecommunications.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile's 5G home internet product targets rural and suburban addresses with competitive flat-rate pricing — a credible alternative to Columbia iConnect's fixed wireless tiers in overlapping coverage zones.
• Starlink (SpaceX): Starlink delivers LEO satellite broadband with higher speeds and lower latency than Viasat; it is rapidly expanding across the rural Pacific Northwest and competes with Columbia iConnect for the same underserved households.

Direct peers

• NextLink Internet: NextLink Internet operates fixed wireless and fiber networks across rural and small-town America with subscription pricing, government-program participation, and a comparable multi-technology stack similar to Columbia iConnect.
• Viasat: Viasat is both Columbia iConnect's satellite partner and a direct consumer satellite ISP, offering the same Bronze/Silver/Gold tiers Columbia iConnect resells — directly comparable in product, pricing, and target customer.
• BrightRidge (BrightRidge Connect): BrightRidge is a Tennessee-based municipal/electric utility broadband arm providing fiber internet in its service territory — a comparable utility-cooperative subsidiary model to Columbia iConnect under Columbia REA.
• Hughes Network Systems (HughesNet): HughesNet is a satellite internet provider that competes head-to-head with Columbia iConnect's Viasat offering in rural areas where terrestrial broadband is unavailable, with similar tiered subscription pricing and equipment fees.
• Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities: Mid-Atlantic Broadband is a cooperative-affiliated rural broadband provider operating fiber and wireless networks — structurally and operationally similar to Columbia iConnect as a regional ISP serving underserved communities.
• Rise Broadband: Rise Broadband is the largest fixed wireless internet provider in the U.S., targeting underserved suburban and rural communities with multi-tier monthly subscriptions — directly comparable to Columbia iConnect's fixed wireless core product and customer profile.
• Zito Media: Zito Media is a rural-focused broadband, voice, and video provider serving small-town America — closely aligned with Columbia iConnect's mix of fiber, wireless, satellite, and VoIP services for residential customers.

Broad incumbents

• Consolidated Communications (Fidium Fiber): Consolidated Communications is a regional fiber/wireline incumbent that serves rural and small-town markets across the Pacific Northwest with bundled voice and internet services overlapping Columbia iConnect's footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/columbia.iconnect

Compliance2 records

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 Columbia iConnect