Best Telecom Companies in Minnesota, United States
The 77 best Telecom companies in Minnesota, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Eschelon.
Our analysis of 50 Telecom companies
$56.1b in tracked funding; 87% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
Ranked: Best Telecom companies in Minnesota
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Founder | Founded | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eschelon Provider of voice and data services and business telephone systems | $81M | 287 mo ago | Series A | — | 1996 | — | — | — |
| 2 | Lake Connections Fiber optic telecommunication and television service provider in Minnesota | $56M | 168 mo ago | Funding Raised | Jeff Roiland ex-CEO & President | 2012 | — | — | — |
| 3 | Surf Air Wireless Fixed wireless broadband services provider in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan | $40M | 91 mo ago | Series B | Gene Crusie CEO | 2009 | — | — | — |
| 4 | Internet For Business Managed IT services provider delivering technology solutions, connectivity, and cybersecurity | $30M | 319 mo ago | Acquired | — | 1996 | — | — | 1 partnership |
| 5 | Communications Systems Connectivity infrastructure products for broadband networks | $25M | 59 mo ago | Public | — | 1969 | — | — | — |
| 6 | NextNet Wireless Wireless broadband access products | $18M | 311 mo ago | Acqui-Hired | Aree Osman Co-Founder | 1998 | — | 41 patents OFDM fixed wireless broadband for metropolitan area networks using internal‑antenna CPE | — |
| 7 | Arvig Fixed wireless telecom, security and computer repair & sales services provider | $5M | 34 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 1950 | WordPressApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+39 | — | — |
| 8 | Axia Technology Partners Business Telephony and Internet services provider | $1M | 88 mo ago | Series A | — | 2009 | — | — | — |
| 9 | LocaLoop 4G network in a box solutions provider | $1M | 90 mo ago | Seed | Carl Johan Torarp Founder & CEO | 2005 | — | 2 patents Wireless broadband network infrastructure and automated subscriber billing systems | — |
| 10 | Hiawatha Broadband Communications Provider of residential internet, television, and phone communication services | $773K | 127 mo ago | Acquired | — | 2010 | Cart FunctionalityWooCommerceWordPress+16 | — | 1 launch |
| 11 | Consolidated Telecommunications Company Cooperative providing high-speed internet, TV, and phone services with local support | $760K | 126 mo ago | Early Stage | Kevin Larson CEO & GM | 1950 | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+30 | — | — |
Top 12 Telecom companies in Minnesota
#1
Funding Raised · Perham, Minnesota · founded 1950 · 810 employees$5Mraised▾
Arvig is a telecom service provider which caters to residential and business customers in the United States. It offers fixed wireless broadband internet access (with data speeds up to 50 Mbps), multiple speed based internet plans, managed WiFi, TV services, telephony, installation, maintenance, and support services. It also provides WiFi hotspots, security (home automation, home security)and computer repair & sales services. It provides these services through its fiber-optic backbone network.
- Aug 2023Grant (prize money)$879.7K
- Mar 2012Grant (prize money)$75.7K
- Aug 2010Grant (prize money)$4.1M
#2
Public · Minnetonka, Minnesota · founded 1969 · 129 employees$25Mraised▾
Communications Systems (through its subsidiaries) provides connectivity infrastructure products for the deployment of broadband networks. Its product portfolio includes copper and fiber connectivity systems, enclosure systems, network interface devices, splitters, structured cabling products, media converters, Ethernet switches (allow transmission of voice and data across networks and between copper-wired and fiber-optic equipment). It also provides IT network managed services including network design, computer infrastructure installations, IT service management, network security and network operation services.
- Jun 2021Post IPO$25M
#3
Series B · Laporte, Minnesota · founded 2009$40Mraised▾
Surf Air Wireless provides high-speed broadband internet to Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.is a wireless internet service provider which provides broadband internet, phone, data services and solutions to residential and business users of cities, suburbs, and rural communities in the US states of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. The company offers fixed wireless broadband internet services, local and long distance digital phone service with custom calling features and virtual PBX and managed WiFi services. It also provides home security, surveillance and automation solutions, network monitoring, management, installation, maintenance and support services.
- Nov 2018Series B$40M
#4
Funding Raised · Two Harbors, Minnesota · founded 2012$56.5Mraised▾
Lake Connections is a telecommunication service provider which provides broadband internet, phone, video, data services and solutions to residential and business users in the US state of Minnesota. The company offers fiber optic broadband internet services, local and long distance telephone service, digital television service with DVR, on-demand and mobile streaming services, business (VoIP) phone systems and cost-effective bundle services.
- 2012Conventional Debt$56.5M
- Grant (prize money)$10M
#5
Series A · Minneapolis, Minnesota · founded 1996 · 351 employees$80.6Mraised▾
Provider of voice and data services and business telephone systems
#6
Acquired · Shoreview, Minnesota · founded 1996 · 535 employees$30Mraised▾
Managed IT services provider delivering technology solutions, connectivity, and cybersecurity. They empower businesses with skills, robust connectivity, comprehensive security, seamless communication, and strategic IT support. They improve productivity, security, and availability through managed IT services. Expertise extends to digital infrastructure, internet connections, private networks, cyber security, business phone systems, and network-related hardware and software. They focus on service, team expertise, and customer relations. They proactively deliver and support IT services and solutions for organizations, offering expertise and support for everything from single office fit-outs to enterprise-level solutions. They provide scalable and agile IT services to meet business needs.
#7
Acqui-Hired · Burnsville, Minnesota · founded 1998$18Mraised▾
NextNet Wireless develops broadband wireless systems. NLOS system supports IP telephony, video streaming, gaming applications, etc. Provides equipment that unifies the modem, transceiver, and antenna into one unit and mobile subscriber unit, a broadband wireless access modem for trunk mount mobile market applications.
- Jul 2000Series B$10M
- Sep 1998Series A$8M
#8
Series A · Rochester, Minnesota · founded 2009 · 17 employees$1.2Mraised▾
Axia is a national provider of converged IP solutions including nation-wide VoIP services, PBX solutions, wide area network connectivity, and internet access. Clients include financial institutions, municipal governments, schools, hospitals, law firms, accounting firms, and real estate developers. Provides products including local, national, toll-free, and international Voice over IP (VoIP) phone service, internet access, WAN consolidation, collocation services, fiber optic construction, structured cabling, and managed network services.
- Feb 2019Series A$1.2M
#9
Seed · Minneapolis, Minnesota · founded 2005$1.2Mraised▾
Developer and deployer of fourth-generation networks designed to connect people in rural areas. The company deploys and offers fourth-generation broadband networks using a software-defined network technology for rural areas and low-density markets, enabling users to get Internet connections and stay connected.
#10
Acquired · Winona, Minnesota · founded 2010 · 110 employees$773Kraised▾
Provider of residential internet, television, and phone communication services. The company delivers internet access for surfing, streaming, sharing, and gaming across multiple devices. Television services offer a variety of programming choices. Reliable home phone service allows customers to stay connected with others.
- Nov 2015Grant (prize money)$773K
#11
Early Stage · Brainerd, Minnesota · founded 1950 · 59 employees$760Kraised▾
Cooperative providing high-speed internet, TV, and phone services with local support. They deliver state-of-the-art technologies to improve rural communities, offering fiber internet for residential and business needs. Services include gigabit speeds, streaming TV, and reliable phone options. They focus on exceptional local customer service and community support. They provide internet, TV, and phone solutions, supporting business growth with hosted phones and wireless options. They strive to improve rural areas by delivering the technologies communities need to grow and thrive. They offer news and community updates, construction updates, and donation requests. They provide customer service and support through various channels.
- Dec 2015Unattributed$760K
#12
Funding Raised · Austin, Minnesota · founded 1992 · 220 employees$38.4Kraised▾
Provider of contact center and alarm monitoring solutions for utilities. The organization delivers call management, line crew dispatch, and integration services. It offers outage communication software and alarm monitoring. The company provides outage texting services and video monitoring. It handles calls, disconnects, emergency locates, and other needs.
- Dec 2008Grant (prize money)$38.4K
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Telecom coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
How research on 5G 6G in Minnesota is moving
A read on the academic research around 5G 6G in Minnesota — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 85 papers.
- University of Minnesota78
- Minnesota State University, Mankato4
- University of Minnesota System4
- University of Minnesota Rochester1
- University of St. Thomas - Minnesota1
- Beamforming35
- Mathematical optimization12
- MIMO10
- Channel state information9
- Transmitter8
- Beamforming26
- MIMO12
- Telecommunications link10
- Mathematical optimization8
- Multicast7
- Beamforming3
- MIMO2
- Imperfect1
- Gaussian1
- Directivity1
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.