The expansion of fiber networks has exploded in the past few years, fueled by customer demand for more bandwidth, government funding (RDOF, CAF II, Rural Connect, and state grants programs), and new ISP entrants. And VoIP is a natural and smart service add-on for ISPs to maximize their revenue and enhance the customer experience.

While other broadband technologies, including fixed wireless and satellite, will also play key roles in bridging the digital divide and connecting increasing more homes and businesses, fiber has been a dominant force by offering higher speeds, easy upgrades, and lower latency. In fact, the number of U.S. homes passed by all-fiber networks now exceeds 50.6 million; with more than 22.5 million homes connected to all-fiber networks for at least one service (internet, television, or telephone). The 2021 North American forecast predicts a U.S. fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) investment of more than $60 billion in the next five years!

As we emerge from a year of lockdowns and isolation, Alianza is excited to hit the road again for a conference dedicated to helping accelerate the deployment of fiber broadband. Join us at Fiber Connect 2021 next week. We have new customers to announce, new full-stack cloud communication solutions to share, and data to how service provides can providers roll out residential and business VoIP services quickly, easily, and profitably — while maintaining full control over network usage, branding, pricing, and customer relationships.

Despite a lack of travel and events, 2020 was one of Alianza’s strongest years for adding new customers, many who sought an established cloud communications provider to partner with in order to expand their customer base and grow beyond what rural broadband builds are capable of.

By cloud sourcing VoIP services, providers can accelerate time-to market, avoid lopsided business models with high upfront costs and long paybacks, and free up valuable resources to focus on strategic endeavors.

Unlike conventional wholesale VoIP solutions, our full-stack cloud communications platform leverages the latest virtualization technology, bringing all the benefits of the cloud — web scalability, unrivaled service agility, and a pay-as-you-grow model — to your network. All the VoIP network elements that your business would normally need to buy, build and operate are virtualized, securely hosted in the cloud, and managed by Alianza.

As we prepare for Fiber Connect 2021 next week, we are announcing six new fiber broadband ISPs as customers including electric cooperatives, a municipality, and community owned network:

1. Beacon Broadband. A wholly owned subsidiary of Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative in Oregon is launching broadband, TV, and phone service to communities on the southern Oregon coast. They specialize in delivering High Speed Wireless broadband to homes and businesses to areas that have little or no broadband access.
2. Ciello. The ISP powered by San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative has been delivering a broadband portfolio, including phone services, to the Valley’s rural communities since 2015.
3. DE Fastlink. Launched this year, the ISP division of Dixie Electric in Mississippi is bringing broadband and phone to more than 30,000 homes and businesses in its seven-county service area in Mississippi.
4. GigabitNow. With fiber broadband in communities in California, Oregon, Arizona, Washington, and Massachusetts, this ISP ditched its switch and upgraded their VoIP solution with our cloud to deliver a full communications suite to its residential and business customers. GigabitNow offers unique customized fiber internet solutions for cities, communities, multi-tenant buildings, and businesses of all sizes.
5. Hood River Electric Cooperative. Serving its members in Oregon with fixed wireless and fiber broadband for nearly two decades, the co-op is now adding VoIP services.
6. TCLPfiber. Traverse City Light & Power’s ISP launch last year with broadband and phone services and is building out to more areas of the city in the next few years.

Blazing fast broadband and a modern, convenient phone solutions that are lower cost than the legacy telephone products benefits service providers, SMBs, and consumers.

We are exhibiting, showcasing the best cloud communications solution for fiber broadband. Come visit our panel on Tuesday, July 27th 2021  Case Study: Electric Cooperatives Transition to ISP — alongside our customer Cumberland Connect and partners NISC and Vantage Point Solutions. We’ll be sharing advice on how electric cooperatives can best prepare to plan, launch, and grow their new broadband operations. Find our team at booth 411 during expo hours.

Just this week Broadband Communities named Alianza to its Top 100 FTTH Company list for the fifth year in a row. Thank you for the recognition of our investment in the fiber broadband ecosystem, integrations with billing vendors, interoperability device certification with ONT leaders, and continued support of fiber ISP customers.

“Building a Fiber-Connected World” is the tagline of Broadband Communities magazine, and each year the Fiber-To-The-Home Top 100 list recognizes organizations that lead the way in this endeavor.