Kansas Broadband & Telecom News – July 2026
S&A Telephone Company, Inc. Revises General Exchange Tariff To Discontinue Several Obsolete Features
July 30, 2026 – S&A Telephone Company, Inc. has filed revisions to its General Exchange Tariff with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). In its filing, S&A explains that it “is discontinuing several obsolete features for which there are few subscribers.” S&A further explains that “current subscribers will be allowed to retain the services.” The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-S&AT-0120-TAR.
Plains Internet, LLC Requests Relinquishment Of ETC Designation In Kansas After Failing To Meet RDOF Obligation To Serve Three Locations
July 20, 2026 – Plains Internet, LLC has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting relinquishment of its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) designation. Plains Internet has requested that the KCC issue an order confirming the relinquishment of its ETC designation in Kansas effective July 31 , 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter as is practicable.
The company applied for ETC designation in April 2021 after it was awarded funding under the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF). Plains Internet was awarded $9,834.00 in RDOF support to serve three locations in Kansas with voice and gigabit broadband service. The KCC designated Plains Internet as an ETC on June 6, 2021.
On May 1, 2026, Plains Internet notified the FCC that it has decided to default on its RDOF obligations in Kansas (SAC 419049). The three RDOF locations for which the company had received funding are located on the western edge of Hutchison, Kansas. Plains Internet has not deployed service to any of the three locations, and has paid an invoice totaling $7,436.91 from the FCC’s Wireline Completion Bureau for recovery of disbursed RDOF support. Because it has defaulted on its RDOF support obligations and has withdrawn from the program, Plains Internet is seeking relinquishment of its ETC designation in Kansas. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-PINT-0121-ETC.
Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC Applies For Kansas CLEC Certificate Of Convenience And Authority
July 17, 2026 – Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting a Certificate of Convenience and Authority to provide facilities-based and resold local exchange and exchange access telecommunications (CLEC) services. Brightspeed Fiber Connection is requesting CLEC authority in the ILEC service territories of Southwestern Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Kansas and the service territories of the Brightspeed Kansas ILEC affiliates. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-BSFT-0091-COC.
Brightspeed Fiber Connection is owned by Connect Holding II LLC, which is a direct subsidiary of Connect Holding, LLC. Connect Holding, LLC is ultimately controlled by investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, Inc. In 2022, Connect Holding acquired Lumen’s ILEC subsidiaries and their assets in 20 states, one of which was Kansas.
Brightspeed Fiber Connection “does not currently provide telecommunications service in any other state, and therefore does not have any customers.” In order to meet the requirements for receiving a COC, Brightspeed Fiber Connection has entered into “certain restructuring and financing arrangements” pursuant to which it will receive certain assets, including communications optical fiber, customer contracts, and associated telecommunications equipment, from its Kansas competitive local exchange and interexchange affiliate Brightspeed Broadband, LLC and from its Kansas incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) affiliates, Brightspeed of West Missouri, LLC, Brightspeed of Eastern Kansas, LLC, Brightspeed of Kansas, LLC, and Brightspeed of Southern Kansas, LLC (collectively, Brightspeed Affiliates). In its application, Brightspeed Fiber Connection states that it “has the requisite financial, managerial, and technical qualifications to provide the proposed services in Kansas.” Brightspeed Fiber Connection has provided the following additional information in its CLEC application:
Brightspeed Fiber Connection will acquire the fiber facilities of the Brightspeed Affiliates and operate them to continue to provide high-quality services to Kansas customers in an efficient and cost-effective manner. (p. 10)
In connection with the restructuring and financing arrangements, Brightspeed Fiber Connection will receive certain assets, including communications optical fiber, customer contracts, and associated telecommunications equipment, from its Brightspeed Affiliates. Following the assignment of assets, Brightspeed Fiber Connection will own and operate the transferred assets and provide the relevant fiber-based transport services to the transferred customers under the same rates, terms, and conditions. (p. 10-11)
The assigned customer contracts include enterprise and wholesale customer contracts for fiber-based transport services such as private line, Ethernet, and optical wavelength, as well as customer contracts for unregulated services, such as broadband and internet. (p. 11)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection also may provide Voice over Internet Protocol services in the future. (p. 11) The Brightspeed Affiliates will continue to provide all existing services to non-transferred customers, including all copper-based services and Lifeline-supported services. (p. 11)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection plans to provide fiber-based transport services, such as private line, Ethernet, and optical wavelength to enterprise and wholesale customers, as well as unregulated services such as broadband and Voice over Internet Protocol. (A-1)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection does not currently have any plans to provide switched voice local retail services or switched voice interexchange services to customers in Kansas, but rather plans to provide IP-based services. (A-1)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection proposes to provide services through a combination of (1) primarily using its own facilities – including connected fiber terminals, fiber splice cases, cross connects, splitters and fiber optic cables – which will be assigned to it from the Brightspeed Affiliates and which terminate on a fiber distribution panel in a central office to which Brightspeed Fiber Connection will have access pursuant to an intra-company access arrangement, and (2) resale and interconnection arrangements with other carriers, as appropriate. (A-1-2)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC Applies For IXC Certificate Of Convenience And Authority
July 17, 2026 – Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC has filed an application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting a Certificate of Convenience and Authority (COC) to provide facilities-based and resold interexchange telecommunications services throughout the State of Kansas. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-BSFT-0090-COC.
Brightspeed Fiber Connection “does not currently provide telecommunications service in any other state, and therefore does not have any customers.” In order to meet the requirements for receiving a COC, Brightspeed Fiber Connection has entered into “certain restructuring and financing arrangements” pursuant to which it will receive certain assets, including communications optical fiber, customer contracts, and associated telecommunications equipment, from its Kansas competitive local exchange and interexchange affiliate Brightspeed Broadband, LLC and from its Kansas incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) affiliates, Brightspeed of West Missouri, LLC, Brightspeed of Eastern Kansas, LLC, Brightspeed of Kansas, LLC, and Brightspeed of Southern Kansas, LLC (collectively, Brightspeed Affiliates).
Brightspeed Fiber Connection is owned by Connect Holding II LLC, which is a direct subsidiary of Connect Holding, LLC. Connect Holding, LLC is ultimately controlled by investment funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, Inc. In 2022, Connect Holding acquired Lumen’s ILEC subsidiaries and their assets in 20 states, one of which was Kansas.
In its application, Brightspeed Fiber Connection states that it “has the requisite financial, managerial, and technical qualifications to provide the proposed services in Kansas,” and that it “will be managed by same experienced team currently overseeing its affiliates’ telecommunications service operations in Kansas, as well as other affiliates’ provision of telecommunications services in 19 other states.” Brightspeed Fiber Connection has provided the following additional information in its COC application:
Brightspeed Fiber Connection will acquire the fiber facilities of the Brightspeed Affiliates and operate them to continue to provide high-quality services to Kansas customers in an efficient and cost-effective manner. (p. 10)
In connection with the restructuring and financing arrangements, Brightspeed Fiber Connection will receive certain assets, including communications optical fiber, customer contracts, and associated telecommunications equipment, from the Brightspeed Affiliates. (p. 10)
Following the assignment of assets, Brightspeed Fiber Connection will own and operate the transferred assets and provide the relevant fiber-based transport services to the transferred customers under the same rates, terms, and conditions. The assigned customer contracts include enterprise and wholesale customer contracts for fiber-based transport services such as private line, Ethernet, and optical wavelength, as well as customer contracts for unregulated services, such as broadband and internet. (p. 10-11)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection also may provide Voice over Internet Protocol services in the future. (p. 11)
The Brightspeed Affiliates will continue to provide all existing services to non-transferred customers, including all copper-based services and Lifeline-supported services. (p. 11)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection’s financials are consolidated at its parent, Connect Holding II LLC’s level. Brightspeed Fiber Connection does not maintain financial statements separate from the consolidated financial statement. (p. 8)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection plans to provide fiber-based transport services, such as private line, Ethernet, and optical wavelength to enterprise and wholesale customers, as well as unregulated services such as broadband and Voice over Internet Protocol. (A-1)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection will also provide intrastate and interstate long-distance telecommunications services through resale of affiliated and unaffiliated interexchange network facilities using a hybrid PSTN and IP-based architecture, the same way other certificated Brightspeed companies provide it in Kansas. (A-1)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection does not currently have any plans to provide switched voice local retail services or switched voice interexchange services to customers in Kansas, but rather plans to provide IP-based services. (A-1)
Brightspeed Fiber Connection proposes to provide services primarily using its own facilities – including connected fiber terminals, fiber splice cases, cross connects, splitters and fiber optic cables – which will be assigned to it from its Brightspeed Affiliates and which terminate on a fiber distribution panel in a central office to which Brightspeed Fiber Connection will have access pursuant to an intra-company access arrangement. (A-1-2)
Affiliates of Brightspeed Fiber Connection currently provide intrastate and interstate long-distance telecommunications services, through resale of the Lumen interexchange network. Brightspeed Fiber Connection intends to migrate intrastate and interstate long-distance traffic to an affiliated interexchange provider which operates a softswitch-based IP interexchange network and holds the appropriate authority to provide interexchange services. (A-2)
Brightspeed Companies Of Kansas Adding $6.03 To Residential Customer Bills To Recover Costs Of Property Taxes And Use Of Rights-Of-Way
July 16, 2026 – Brightspeed Companies of Kansas has filed revisions to its General Exchange Service Tariff with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC). Brightspeed’s filing makes revisions to its tariff that proposes “the introduction of a Tax Recovery Surcharge, which will apply to residential customers’ monthly bills.” Specifically, the tariff revisions add $6.03 to residential customer bills. In its filing, Brightspeed explains that it “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.” The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-UTDT-0089-TAR. The actual tariff revisions are shown below.
KDOT Launches Open Access Broadband Program – Webinar July 29
July 14, 2026 – The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has launched its new Open Access Broadband Program which is intended to make it easier for public and private partners to work together to expand high-speed internet access across Kansas. KDOT’s Open Access Broadband Program will enable broadband providers to construct and operate broadband infrastructure within Kansas highway rights-of-way, and gain access to state-owned infrastructure like conduits, vaults, and buildings in highway rights-of-way. KDOT will conduct a webinar on Wednesday July 29th at 1:00 pm to discuss how KDOT will share the broadband infrastructure where available with industry. Registration is required to attend the webinar. Additional information on the Open Access Broadband Program can be found on KDOT’s website.
Moundridge Telephone Company To Combine Operations Into Its Parent Company Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc.
July 1, 2026 – Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc. d/b/a Nex-Tech (Rural) and Moundridge Telephone Company have filed a joint application with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) requesting approval of certain actions needed to combine Moundridge with Rural. Moundridge is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Rural. The KCC approved Rural’s acquisition of Moundridge in July 2022. Rural is seeking to combine Moundridge’s operations under a single company – Rural. To accomplish this, the joint applicants have requested that the KCC issue an order: (1) expanding Rural’s Certificate of Convenience and Authority to include Moundridge’s two exchanges; (2) expanding Rural’s Eligible Telecommunications Carrier designation to include Moundridge’s two exchanges; (3) approving the transfer of Moundridge’s Kansas universal service fund support to Rural; and (4) stating that the Commission does not object to the merger of Moundridge’s study area into Rural’s study area. The KCC Docket Number for the proceeding is 27-MRGT-0005-MIS.
New Kansas Corporation Commission Telecom Dockets Opened In July 2026
27-MRGT-0005-MIS – Joint Application for Commission Approval to Combine Moundridge Telephone Company into Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc.
27-UTDT-0089-TAR – Brightspeed Companies of Kansas Revisions to General Exchange Service Tariff.
27-BSFT-0090-COC – Application of Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC for Certificate of Convenience and Authority to Provide Facilities-Based and Resold Interexchange Telecommunications Services Within the State of Kansas.
27-BSFT-0091-COC – Application of Brightspeed Fiber Connection LLC for Certificate of Convenience and Authority to Provide Facilities-Based and Resold local exchange Access Services Within the State of Kansas.
27-IACC-0092-CCS – Section 63.71 Application of IDT America, Corp to Discontinue Services.
27-S&AT-0120-TAR – S&AT Telephone Company, LLC Application for revisions to discontinue several obsolete features with Tariffs.
27-PINT-0121-ETC – Application of Plains Internet, LLC for an Order Confirming Relinquishment of its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation.
