Who owns your internet provider?
Six deals have closed since August 2025, and a seventh is pending. Here's who owns each brand now and what changed for customers.
Frontier and Starry are now Verizon. Quantum Fiber is now AT&T. Cox is now Charter, the company behind Spectrum. Ziply Fiber belongs to Bell Canada's parent BCE, Kinetic belongs to Uniti, and GFiber is merging with Astound. CenturyLink copper service still belongs to Lumen.
Every brand and its owner
Dates are when each deal closed, from company filings and announcements. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
The family tree
The deals, one by one
Verizon bought Frontier (and Starry)
Verizon completed its $20 billion purchase of Frontier on January 20, 2026, bringing its fiber network to 31 states and Washington, DC. Frontier now goes by "Frontier, a Verizon Company," and Frontier Fiber customers are being moved to the Fios brand. Ten days later, on January 30, Verizon also closed its purchase of Starry, which sells fixed wireless internet to apartment buildings. Compare Frontier and Verizon Fios.
AT&T bought Quantum Fiber
AT&T paid $5.75 billion for Lumen's consumer fiber business in 11 states, including Quantum Fiber, closing on February 2, 2026. That covers more than 1 million customers and 4 million fiber-ready homes. Lumen kept its copper service, so if you have CenturyLink DSL, your provider hasn't changed. Our CenturyLink guide explains which part went where, and the AT&T Fiber review covers what Quantum customers now get.
Charter bought Cox
Charter closed its $34.5 billion purchase of Cox on August 20, 2026. Spectrum branding and pricing are rolling into Cox areas from mid-September, and within a year the combined company takes the Cox Communications name, while still selling service as Spectrum. See our Cox and Spectrum reviews.
BCE bought Ziply Fiber
BCE, the parent of Bell Canada, bought Ziply Fiber on August 1, 2025 for US$3.65 billion. Ziply keeps its name, management and Kirkland, Washington headquarters. Read our Ziply review.
Windstream merged into Uniti
Windstream and Uniti Group combined on August 1, 2025. Kinetic, Windstream's internet brand, now sits inside Uniti and keeps its name. Read our Kinetic review.
GFiber and Astound are combining
Announced in March 2026, this deal puts GFiber (formerly Google Fiber) and Astound Broadband in one company majority owned by Stonepeak, with Alphabet keeping a minority stake. GFiber's executives will run it. It's expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, and no new brand name has been announced. Compare GFiber and Astound.
Does a new owner change your bill?
Not right away. Each buyer has said existing plans and prices carry over, and your contract or price lock still applies. The changes come later: new brand names, new apps and logins, and eventually the new owner's plans and fees. Watch for an email about moving your account, and check your email address if it ends in the old provider's domain. Our plan changes tracker logs price changes as they happen, and if a merger leaves you worse off, see how to switch providers or how to push back on a price increase.
Questions
Is Frontier owned by Verizon?
Yes. Verizon completed its purchase of Frontier on January 20, 2026. Frontier now operates as "Frontier, a Verizon Company," and Frontier Fiber customers are moving to the Fios brand. Verizon says plans and prices are not changing because of the deal.
Is Quantum Fiber part of AT&T?
Yes. AT&T bought Lumen's consumer fiber business, including Quantum Fiber, for $5.75 billion. The deal closed on February 2, 2026 and covered 11 states. CenturyLink copper internet stayed with Lumen.
Is Cox now Spectrum?
Yes. Charter, which runs Spectrum, closed its purchase of Cox on August 20, 2026. Spectrum branding and pricing come to Cox areas from mid-September 2026, and the combined company will take the Cox Communications name within a year.
Who owns Ziply Fiber?
BCE, the parent of Bell Canada, bought Ziply Fiber on August 1, 2025 for US$3.65 billion. Ziply still runs as its own business in the Pacific Northwest.
Did Google sell Google Fiber?
Partly. GFiber is combining with Astound Broadband in a deal expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Investment firm Stonepeak will own the majority, and Alphabet keeps a minority stake.
Is Kinetic the same as Windstream?
Kinetic is Windstream's internet brand. Windstream merged with Uniti Group on August 1, 2025, and Kinetic is now a Uniti business.
- Plan pages and Broadband Facts labels from Frontier Fiber, Quantum Fiber, Cox, Ziply Fiber, Kinetic, Astound Broadband, gFiber (formerly Google Fiber), Brightspeed, checked Oct 2026
- Company press releases and regulatory filings on the ownership changes mentioned
Prices and offers change often; confirm at your address before you order. How we research
Jean founded ShopHighSpeed after trying to find one straight answer about business internet in his own town. He has been a Comcast and Verizon Fios customer, and ranks providers on what they actually deliver, not on what they advertise.
