en.Wedoany.com Reported - Two portfolio companies of Grain Management—Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications (GPC)—have completed their merger, with the new entity named Rightfiber. This move represents the latest example of private capital continuing to flow into fiber broadband and the broader telecommunications sector.

Both Ritter and GPC have over 100 years of experience deploying telecommunications and fiber infrastructure in their respective regions. Following the transaction, Heath Simpson, former CEO of Ritter Communications, will serve as CEO of the combined company, while Todd Foje, former CEO of Great Plains Communications, will assume the role of Executive Chairman.

Grain stated that existing customers will continue to receive reliable service, local relationships, and personalized support. The new company will also continue to develop community partnerships within its expanded service areas and make long-term infrastructure investments. Executive Chairman Todd Foje noted that the new company "combines deep local relationships with enhanced capabilities and investment to accelerate growth and continue bringing advanced fiber connectivity to underserved communities."

Through this merger, the new Rightfiber will have deeper network coverage, serving residential customers as well as businesses, data centers, and hyperscale cloud providers within its markets. Each company brings distinct strengths in network assets. GPC operates over 20,000 miles of Mplify-certified fiber network spanning 13 states. Rightfiber/Ritter operates in 197 communities across 7 states, with 8,300 miles of fiber. Overall, the new company will serve more than 400 communities, with network coverage across 20 states, and its 28,000-mile regional fiber network will connect 300,000 homes and businesses.

Grain plans to further scale the new company through organic expansion and targeted acquisitions of other regional operators. Prior to this, both companies were aggressive in expanding their network footprints. Rightfiber has extended fiber to new communities in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, and Tennessee, in addition to making targeted acquisitions, such as the fiber broadband network in Ruston, Louisiana. GPC has also expanded its coverage through continuous fiber construction, acquisitions, and partnerships, reaching an agreement in May to acquire Fastwyre's Nebraska operations, which serve more than 20 communities. GPC has also been enhancing its position in the growing data center market, reaching an agreement with Aphorio Carter in November to provide redundant fiber connectivity for its colocation and data center facility in Simpsonville, Kentucky.

Grain's move to merge Rightfiber and GPC reflects the interest of the private equity sector in fiber broadband and telecommunications. T-Mobile, through a $2 billion joint venture with Oak Hill Capital, acquired 50% stakes in regional fiber providers Greenlight Networks and GoNetspeed. The transaction, expected to close in the first half of 2027 pending necessary regulatory approvals, will enable T-Mobile to expand its fiber internet access capabilities. The wireless carrier has also formed a joint venture with KKR to acquire fiber broadband provider Metronet. Previously, T-Mobile partnered with EQT to acquire Lumos Networks, with plans to serve 2 million households in underserved markets by 2026.

PwC, in its "Telecommunications: US Deals 2026 Mid-Year Outlook" report, stated that "the US telecom industry entered 2026 with renewed M&A momentum, accelerated by a wave of fiber operator consolidation." The research firm estimates that 50 private equity companies are currently active, with 37 deals occurring over the last eight quarters, and expects more platform exits in 2026. PwC noted that nearly 50 different private equity firms are actively deploying capital into the US telecom sector, including KKR, Blackstone, Apollo, Stonepeak, and Blue Owl, with approximately 36 private equity-backed telecom deals recorded in the past eight quarters alone. PwC believes that "the private capital pipeline is deep and accelerating."

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