Kansas Broadband & Telecom News - November 2025
GW Operating, LLC Applies For Competitive Local Exchange Service Provider Certificate Of Authority (Does Not Intend To Provide Voice Services & Will Not Provide Switched Access Services)
November 25, 2025 – GW Operating, LLC has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC or Commission) requesting a Certificate of Authority to provide facilities-based and resold local exchange telecommunications services in the incumbent local exchange carrier service territories of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Kansas (AT&T Kansas) and United Telephone Companies of Kansas, Inc. d/b/a Brightspeed (formerly CenturyLink) (Brightspeed). The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 26-V74T-0157-COC.
GW Operating is a Delaware limited liability company formed on October 7, 2025, and does not yet have any customers. It also is separately seeking a Certificate of Authority to provide resold and facilities-based interexchange and exchange access telecommunications services in Kansas. In support of its CLEC application, GW Operating (the Applicant) has provided, among other things, the following details:
At this time, Applicant only seeks a Certificate to provide facilities-based and resold local exchange telecommunications services that do not require an interconnection agreement in the State of Kansas. To the extent any Applicant service offerings in Kansas require Applicant to enter into an interconnection agreement in the future, Applicant will file the same for approval with the Commission at that time.
Applicant does not need tariffs for the services it proposes to provide in Kansas. To the extent the Commission determines that Applicant needs tariffs for any future service offerings, the company agrees that it will not begin offering such services until the required tariffs are filed and approved by the Commission.
Applicant intends to offer Fiber to the Premises to institutional customers, enterprise customers, other carriers, and municipalities on a “build to suit” basis. Applicant will not offer service to residential customers. All services will be provided pursuant to individual case-based contracts. At this time, Applicant does not intend to provide voice services, including dial tone to end-user customers. Applicant will not provide switched access services and therefore has not included illustrative tariffs with this Application.
The proposed locations and routes of Applicant’s facilities have not been determined at this time. The location of its “build to suit” projects will depend on the demand of the customers’ networks for data, device, and population growth. Thus, the fiber locations are not dependent upon traditional exchange boundaries. A build out is comprised of equipment and buried and/or above ground fiber on or near a public utility easement. However, Applicant concurs with the maps and exchange boundaries filed with the Commission by the incumbent local exchange providers, including AT&T and Brightspeed. Accordingly, a map of Applicant’s proposed service area is not attached.
GW Operating, LLC Applies For Interexchange And Exchange Access Certificate Of Authority
November 25, 2025 – GW Operating, LLC has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting a Certificate of Authority to provide resold and facilities-based interexchange and exchange access telecommunications services in Kansas. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 26-V74T-0158-COC. GW Operating is a Delaware limited liability company formed on October 7, 2025, and does not yet have any customers. It also is separately seeking a Certificate of Authority to provide local exchange telecommunications services. In support of its IXC application, GW Operating (the Applicant) has provided, among other things, the following details:
While Applicant currently does not provide and is not authorized to provide intrastate telecommunications services in any state, Applicant has pending, or plans to file, applications or registrations to provide intrastate telecommunications services in twenty-four states in addition to Kansas.
Applicant is affiliated with WANRack, LLC, which is a telecommunications services provider and indirectly, wholly owned by CBRE Infra Fiber LLC; JMZ Corporation, which is a broadband provider using FCC spectrum licenses and a direct subsidiary of WANRack; and Gateway Infrastructure, LLC, which is a communications services provider and indirectly, wholly owned by CBRE Infra. WANRack was issued a Certificate of Convenience and Authority authorizing the company to provide Intrastate Local Exchange Services in the State of Kansas in Docket No. 15-WRKT-497-COC on July 21, 2015.
This Application is filed in connection with certain restructuring and financing arrangements in which Applicant’s affiliates, including WANRack, are expected to assign to Applicant certain assets including communications optical fiber, customer contracts, rights in third party fibers, and associated telecommunications equipment used to provision services or facilities to the affected customers (the “Pro Forma Asset Transfer”). Applicant may additionally rely on lease of existing facilities (e.g., leased fiber, utility pole owner attachment agreements, unbundled network elements, etc.) to deploy its network in some cases.
Applicant intends to offer Fiber to the Premises to institutional customers, enterprise customers, other carriers, and municipalities on a “build to suit” basis. Applicant will not offer service to residential customers. All services will be provided pursuant to individual case-based contracts.
Applicant intends to provide its services using fiber optic cable along with other equipment and facilities to originate, terminate, and amplify signals. In addition to fiber optic cable, other equipment includes fiber optic transmitters and receivers as well as optical amplifiers, fiber optic cable strands, sheaths and similar conduits surrounding or travelling the same routes as said fiber optic cable strands, panel or similar items of equipment connecting to said fiber optic cable strands at each identifiable demarcation or other endpoint of said fiber optic cable strands, and hand holes, manholes and similar means of access to such fiber optic cable strands, sheaths and conduits.
Kansas Legislature Special Committee On Telecommunications Discusses Right-Of-Way, Franchise Fees, & Broadband Service
November 21, 2025 – The Kansas legislature held a one-day Special Committee on Telecommunications to discuss issues related to right-of-way use, franchise fees, broadband service, railroad crossings, and other telecommunications legal and regulatory requirements. The Special Committee on Telecommunications was streamed live and is available on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. The bipartisan committee consisted of seven Senators and seven Representatives, which heard testimony from the following six witnesses:
Janet Buchanan, Deputy Director of Utilities, Kansas Corporation Commission
Megan Bottenberg, Director of Government Affairs, COX Communications
Dayton Murty, Senior Manager of Government Affairs, Charter Communications
Erik Sartorius, Executive Director, Communications Coalition of Kansas
Jim Jamison, President, AT&T Kansas
Ethan Kaplan, General Counsel, IdeaTek
NTIA Approves Texas’ BEAD Program Final Proposal
November 20, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced that it has approved the state of Texas’ Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program final proposal. This is the 19th BEAD program final proposal to be approved by NTIA. Texas was originally allocated $3,312,616,455 under the BEAD program. However, Texas’s final proposal will award $1,257,675,573 for broadband projects. Additional details on Texas’ final proposal are shown on the slide below.
A few days ago, NTIA approved final proposals from 18 states and U.S. territories: Louisiana, Wyoming, Iowa, American Samoa, Georgia, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Maine, New Hampshire, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, South Carolina, North Dakota, Hawaii, Montana, Rhode Island, and Virginia. To date, 53 of the 56 states and U.S. territories have submitted their final proposals to NTIA. Additional information on BEAD final proposals is available online.
Brightspeed Companies Of Kansas Revises General Exchange Service Tariff To Correct Typographical Errors In Voice & Business Voice Packages
November 18, 2025 – The Brightspeed Companies of Kansas have filed revisions to its General Exchange Service Tariff with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 26-UTDT-0150-TAR. In its filing, Brightspeed has provided the following explanation of its revisions:
This administrative filing respectfully requests to correct typographical errors in the Brightspeed Voice and Brightspeed Business Voice packages. These changes will not impact customers. Brightspeed is a price-cap regulated carrier and makes this tariff filing in accordance with K.S.A. 2005(q)(1)(F) which declared the services contained herein as price deregulated.
NTIA Approves 18 BEAD Program Final Proposals (Kansas Still Pending)
November 18, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has announced that it has approved 18 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program final proposals. The final proposals from the following 18 states and U.S. territories were approved by NTIA: Louisiana, Wyoming, Iowa, American Samoa, Georgia, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Maine, New Hampshire, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, South Carolina, North Dakota, Hawaii, Montana, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Additionally, NTIA has announced that Louisiana has signed its award amendment which allows it to access its BEAD funds. To date, 53 of the 56 states and U.S. territories have submitted their final proposals to NTIA. Additional information on BEAD final proposals is available online.
KOBD Opens Public Comment Window For Broadband Acceleration Grant 5 Applications
November 10, 2025 – The Kansas Office of Broadband Development (KOBD) has announced that the public comment period for Broadband Acceleration Grant (BAG) 5 applications is now open. The public comment period will start on November 10 at 1 p.m. CST and close on November 14, 2025 at 5 pm CST. KOBD’s public comment process is intended to allow the public, internet service providers, and interested stakeholders to provide feedback, support, or express concern to KOBD relative to each BAG 5 proposed project. All public comments submitted during the comment period will be made public. A total of 15 BAG 5 applications were submitted. Information on each proposed project and its proposed service area map are available for review. The 15 BAG 5 applications are listed below:
IdeaTek Announces Fiber Network Builds In Goodland & Emporia Kansas
November 10, 2025 – IdeaTek Telcom, LLC has announced a $3 million fiber network deployment in the city of Goodland, Kansas. According to the press release, IdeaTek will offer “unlimited, uncapped speeds of up to 2.5 gigabits per second” to “2,200 homes and businesses” in Goodland. Other details of the project include the following:
Construction in the first few zones of the project are almost complete, with the first neighborhoods connecting later this month. The entire project is on track to be completed in about six months. Residents can learn more about IdeaTek’s services and pricing at ideatek.com.
IdeaTek also recently announced the beginning of a $14 million fiber network deployment in Emporia, Kansas. The company expects to “connect more than 10,000 homes and businesses” in Emporia when the project is complete.
IdeaTek also has plans for other fiber network expansion projects in 2025 in the Kansas communities of Atwood, Bird City, Oakley, St. Francis, Garden City and Wichita.
Kansas Corporation Commission Launching New KCC-CONNECT Docket Filing System On November 17, 2025
November 5, 2025 – The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) has announced that it will launch its new docket system, KCC-CONNECT, at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, November 17, 2025. Before using the new KCC-CONNECT e-filing portal, parties will be required to register and create an e-filing account. The KCC will send sign-up instructions and a link to the new e-filing portal to all current eStar system users prior to November 17th. The KCC-CONNECT system contains the following new features that will be available to all users:
The ability to subscribe to KCC dockets and KCC business meeting calendars
The ability to perform advanced docket searches
The ability to pay invoices online
The ability to request access to file on behalf of an entity
As part of the transition to the new system, uploads into the existing eStar system will cease at noon on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, to allow the KCC to begin its system migration process. E-filing will remain available until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 14, 2025. But anything filed after noon on November 12th will not be viewable on the KCC Docket website until after the KCC-CONNECT system goes live on Monday, November 17th.
NTIA Clarifies BEAD Program Federal Subsidy Restriction – Applies To BEAD-Funded Projects; Does Not Apply Existing Subsidies In Non-BEAD Areas
November 5, 2025 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has clarified that its forthcoming federal subsidy restriction on Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program awards will only apply to BEAD-funded projects.
On October 28, 2025, the head of the NTIA, Arielle Roth, gave a speech at The Hudson Institute titled Making BEAD Work: How NTIA Is Working to Minimize Defaults and Deliver Universal Broadband, which outlined how NTIA will continue its oversight role of the BEAD program after NTIA approves states’ final plans and individual BEAD awards. Assistant Secretary Roth said that “NTIA will require states to have providers certify in writing that they will not require or take additional federal subsidies—including operational subsidies—to complete or operate their BEAD projects. Those unwilling to make that commitment will not get an award. Their proposed service areas will instead go to entities that can and will deliver.”
NTIA has clarified that this prohibition will apply only to BEAD-funded projects and will not affect existing subsidies in non-BEAD areas to which a provider is already entitled, such as federal high-cost universal service fund support.
A total of 53 out of 56 states and territories have submitted their BEAD Final Proposals to NTIA for review. The remaining 3 eligible entities have been granted short-term extensions and will soon be submitting their Final Proposals. NTIA has not yet approved any BEAD Final Proposals but has committed to completing its review of Final Proposals within 90 days of submission.
Senators Marshall & Welch Introduce Bill To Strengthen USDA ReConnect Loan And Grant Program
November 1, 2025 – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Peter Welch (D-Vermont) have introduced the bipartisan ReConnecting Rural America Act of 2025 (S.3084) in the U.S. Senate. The bill is intended to strengthen the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) ReConnect Loan and Grant Program. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. If passed, the ReConnecting Rural America Act will do the following:
Enhance the ReConnect Program by reducing bureaucratic hurdles and accelerating the installation of broadband in rural communities;
Establish 100/100 Mbps symmetrical buildout speeds for the ReConnect program;
Clarify that USDA can make grants, loans, or grant-loan combinations under the ReConnect program;
Establish clear definitions to ensure the ReConnect program prioritizes those who need broadband most;
Clarify that Communications Union Districts are eligible entities under the ReConnect program; and
Improve coordination and communication among stakeholders at the federal level.
Formal Complaint Filed Against Brightspeed Of Kansas, LLC For Service Outages
November 1, 2025 – A formal complaint has been filed against Brightspeed of Kansas, LLC by a former customer of the company because of poor service and an additional trouble charge. The complainant alleges that his Brightspeed phone and internet services experienced recurring outages in May, June, July, and August of 2025. He also alleges that Brightspeed charged him a one-time $149 “Voice Trouble Isolation Charge” even though a technician had not yet visited his residence to troubleshoot his service. The Kansas Corporation Commission Docket Number for the proceeding is 26-UTDT-138-COM.
New Kansas Corporation Commission Telecom Dockets Opened In November 2025
26-MDTT-136-MIS – Application of Madison Telephone, LLC for a Waiver from Certain Telecommunications Billing Practice Standards.
26-UTDT-138-COM – Complaint Against Brightspeed by Dan L. Davis.
26-UTDT-0150-TAR – Brightspeed Companies of Kansas Filing Tariff Revisions to Administrative General Exchange Tariff.
26-V74T-0157-COC – Application of GW Operating, LLC for Certificate of Convenience and Authority to Provide Resold and Facilities-Based Local Exchange Services Within the State of Kansas.
26-V74T-0158-COC – Application of GW Operating, LLC for Certificate of Convenience and Authority to Provide Resold and Facilities-Based Interexchange Telecommunications Services Within the State of Kansas.
26-GIMT-128-CPL – Lifeline Re-Certification Filing Compliance as Required by Commission Order Dated March 4, 2013, in Docket No. 10-GIMT-658-GIT.
ETC Tracker: 4 ETC Applications Currently Pending Before The Kansas Corporation Commission
November 2025 – There are currently four eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) applications pending before the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Two applicants are requesting initial designations as Lifeline-only ETCs, one applicant is seeking relinquishment of its ETC designation, and one applicant is seeking an expansion of its ETC designated service area. The KCC dockets for all of the ETC applications, along with filing dates are listed below:
25-GOMT-124-ETC – Application of Go MD USA LLC For a Limited Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier for the Purpose of Offering and Operating a Lifeline Service for Low Income Consumers (Lifeline-Only ETC application filed August 9, 2024) (Revised Application filed June 20, 2025).
25-AVWZ-250-ETC – Application of Air Voice Wireless, LLC for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 for Lifeline Purposes Only (Lifeline-Only ETC application filed December 23, 2024) (KCC Order Assessing Costs filed Dec. 31, 2024).
25-SWBT-364-MIS – Petition of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, LLC d/b/a AT&T Kansas for an Order Confirming Relinquishment of Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation in Specified Areas (application filed March 27, 2025) (KCC Staff Report and Recommendation filed Oct. 27, 2025).
26-VMBZ-119-ETC – Application of Assurance Wireless USA, L.P. to Expand Its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designated Service Area (application filed October 21, 2025) (KCC Order Assessing Costs filed Oct. 28, 2025).
