Link US
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| Link US | |
|---|---|
| Name | Link US |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California |
| Area served | United States |
| Key people | Jane Doe (CEO), Michael Reyes (CTO), Aisha Khan (COO) |
| Products | Wireless broadband, fixed wireless access, backhaul services |
Link US
Link US is a private telecommunications firm founded in 2018 that provides urban and suburban wireless broadband and fixed wireless access across multiple metropolitan areas in the United States. The company positions itself at the intersection of infrastructure deployment, spectrum management, and last-mile connectivity, targeting underserved neighborhoods and dense corridors. Link US operates in competitive markets alongside major carriers and regional providers, engaging with municipal authorities, utilities, and technology vendors to deploy networks rapidly.
Overview
Link US markets fixed wireless access, millimeter-wave links, and licensed spectrum services to residential, business, and institutional customers. Competing peers include AT&T, Verizon Communications, T-Mobile US, Comcast, and regional providers such as Cox Communications and Charter Communications. Strategic suppliers and integration partners have included vendors like Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung Electronics, Cisco Systems, and Cambium Networks. Link US has engaged with public agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and municipal broadband initiatives in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and Austin, Texas to align deployments with regulatory frameworks and local permitting processes.
History
Link US was founded by telecommunications entrepreneurs with prior experience at Sprint Corporation, Clearwire, and start-ups spun out of research at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Early seed funding rounds attracted venture capital from firms associated with Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and strategic investors from the Intel Capital portfolio. In 2019 Link US completed pilot projects in neighborhoods of Los Angeles and Seattle, leveraging small-cell sites and rooftop installations inspired by deployments seen in Tokyo and Seoul. The company expanded through a Series B round heavily backed by infrastructure funds linked to Blackstone and KKR and announced partnerships with municipal authorities in Philadelphia and Atlanta to address digital divide initiatives similarly pursued by programs in New York City.
By 2021, Link US had negotiated spectrum leases in millimeter-wave bands and mid-band assets acquired through secondary-market transactions involving firms like Auction.com-linked brokers and spectrum holders formerly associated with LightSquared. The firm's operational model mirrored aspects of neutral-host networks deployed for events like the Super Bowl and transit systems such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York). Link US faced regulatory review from the Department of Justice on competition issues when negotiating large municipal contracts, echoing disputes involving Google Fiber and incumbent incumbents in other markets.
Services and Operations
Link US provides subscription services for residential consumers, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises that operate in commercial corridors, and institutional customers including K-12 schools and community health clinics formerly participating in FCC subsidy programs. Core offerings include customer premise equipment installed on rooftops, point-to-multipoint fixed wireless access, and dedicated point-to-point backhaul. The company markets service tiers competing with offerings from Dish Network (in its wireless iteration), Altice USA, and local ISPs. Link US also provides wholesale capacity to mobile virtual network operators and venue operators at locations managed by entities such as the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) and stadium operators for venues like Madison Square Garden.
Operations rely on network planning teams that coordinate with electric utilities such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company and municipal permitting offices in jurisdictions like Los Angeles County and Cook County, Illinois. Customer support and billing leverage platforms and partnerships with firms such as Salesforce and SAP SE for lifecycle management.
Technology and Infrastructure
Link US employs a mix of millimeter-wave equipment, mid-band radios, and licensed small-cell architectures drawing on technologies developed by Qualcomm, Intel Corporation, and chipset firms active in 5G development. Infrastructure deployments include rooftop nodes, streetlight-mounted radios using hardware similar to that provided by CommScope, fiber-fed base stations integrated with passive optical networks employed by Corning Incorporated, and microwave backhaul in the tradition of links used by British Telecom and Deutsche Telekom subsidiaries. The company has piloted Open RAN concepts in cooperation with vendors involved in the O-RAN Alliance to enable multi-vendor interoperability and cost reduction.
Spectrum strategy has combined licensed leases, unlicensed bands such as those used by Wi-Fi Alliance devices, and participation in federal auctions administered by the Federal Communications Commission. Link US has invested in network management platforms with analytics and orchestration features comparable to systems used by AT&T and open-source projects in the ONAP ecosystem.
Governance and Partnerships
Corporate governance includes a board with representatives from investment firms and industry executives who previously served at Cisco Systems, Motorola Solutions, and large carriers. Link US forms public–private partnerships with city governments and nonprofit groups like City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department initiatives and collaborates with foundations engaged in digital equity such as the Knight Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded programs. Strategic commercial partnerships involve equipment suppliers (Nokia, Ericsson), systems integrators, and tower companies including American Tower and Crown Castle for site access and leasing.
Regulatory engagement encompasses filings with the Federal Communications Commission, compliance with state public utility commissions such as the California Public Utilities Commission, and participation in industry associations like the CTIA.
Reception and Impact
Reception among municipal leaders and community advocates has been mixed: Link US has been praised in press coverage for accelerating broadband availability in areas lacking fixed fiber comparable to projects by Google Fiber and municipal networks in Chattanooga, Tennessee, while critics cited concerns about competition with incumbent providers like Verizon Communications and the durability of fixed wireless performance relative to fiber deployments championed by AT&T and Comcast. Academic assessments drawing on case studies from Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania researchers have examined Link US deployments for effects on digital inclusion, affordability, and urban infrastructure integration. Industry analysts at firms such as Gartner and IDC track Link US as part of the evolving landscape of alternative last-mile providers and neutral-host models.