gFiber is stepping in to rescue Ting Fiber’s darkish fiber community lease in Colorado Springs, a transfer that may present some aid for financially troubled Ting and permit gFiber to increase its presence within the state.
Ting Fiber will proceed to serve broadband prospects within the metropolis till the transaction is wrapped up. The switch is anticipated to shut on March 31, 2027.
The switch settlement enters the image after Tucows, Ting Fiber’s mum or dad firm, initiated a assessment of strategic options for Ting Fiber again in late 2025 because the subsidiary continued to soak up losses. In June, Tucows disclosed there was “substantial doubt” relating to Ting Fiber’s potential to fulfill its monetary obligations inside one yr until it secured extra financing. In 2024, Tucows underwent a serious value restructuring that included a 42% layoff at Ting Fiber and a 17% layoff of Tucows’ whole workforce.
Ting Fiber famous on this FAQ that it is “made the robust choice to concentrate on funding in different Ting markets.” Ting Fiber operates in elements of California, Idaho, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.
Upon closing, Ting will successfully flip over its remaining lease with Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to gFiber (previously Google Fiber). gFiber might be substituted for Ting because the community’s “tenant.”
Ting Fiber’s involvement in Colorado Springs traces again to a multi-phase plan undertaken by CSU to carry open-access fiber to about 200,000 areas within the metropolis. In August 2023, CSU tapped Ting Fiber to function preliminary anchor tenant on the XGS-PON-based community.
CSU’s community at present passes about 75,000 properties, and the utility expects the total construct to wrap “inside a couple of months” of its authentic end-of-2028 goal, CSU Chief Monetary Officer Tristan Gearhart stated, in accordance with the Colorado Springs Gazette.
On the finish of Q2 2026, Ting’s remaining combination cost obligations tied to the unique 30-year lease have been roughly $322.8 million, Ting mum or dad firm Tucows stated on this October 22 10-Okay submitting. Underneath the unique 30-year settlement with CSU, the utility was projected to obtain about $670 million.
No instant change for Ting Fiber prospects
Ting Fiber’s 2,000-plus prospects in Colorado Springs will proceed to obtain 2-Gig broadband speeds (at present priced at $89 monthly) till they cancel. Ting Fiber additionally gives a house broadband/cell bundle beginning at $99 monthly.
gFiber is anticipated to carry its personal service portfolio to the market. gFiber expects to begin taking orders in Colorado Springs by the tip of 2026 for installations beginning in early 2027, Ting Fiber defined within the FAQ. gFiber has stood up an internet site for Colorado Springs residents to be alerted when gFiber is on the market.
Partnering with a utility on an open-access mannequin is not new territory for gFiber – it runs a related association with a utility in Huntsville, Alabama. Louis Lipner, gFiber’s head of strategic partnerships, stated the corporate has been happy with the Huntsville challenge and has wished to enter Colorado Springs since not less than 2022, the Gazette reported.
gFiber’s increasing footprint in Colorado
The Colorado Springs lease switch will broaden gFiber’s footprint in Colorado. It should increase on its rollouts in areas comparable to Highlands Ranch/Douglas County, Wheat Ridge, Westminster, Lakewood and Denver (in Denver, gFiber makes use of its Webpass fastened wi-fi entry platform). gFiber additionally has plans underway to construct in different Colorado markets comparable to Golden, Broomfield County and Adams County.
gFiber is increasing in different methods. The Colorado Springs transaction is happening amid a pending merger of gFiber and Astound Broadband that may end in an operator that passes greater than 7.11 million areas. Anticipated to shut later this yr, Stonepeak will maintain majority possession of the mixed firm, with Alphabet – gFiber’s mum or dad – retaining a big minority stake. The mixed firm will function below the gFiber model and be led by gFiber’s current government group.