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How modern broadband turns “somewhere else” to “right here”

Published: November 6, 2025
One of our customers recently said their favorite proof this matters isn’t a speed test—it’s when a neighbor taps Join and the call just works. The same customer told me about one of their residents, a dad describe gaming with his 10-year-old while uploading class photos and sending a video to a colleague—simultaneously. A couple of years ago, that screen just spun. This is important for communities because that one smooth connection is the first domino: homes can support work, school, care, and play without juggling or dropping the ball. That’s what modern broadband does—it keeps opportunity right here, in your house, your neighborhood and your community.

The gap we have to close

Too many areas still run on legacy networks and patchwork builds. Today’s life needs reliable, low-latency, symmetrical capacity. Only fiber scales for decades—not just product cycles.

Why rural communities get left behind—and what changes that

Traditional ROI favors dense metros. Rural means longer drops, fewer passings, thinner margins—the result being “have” vs “have-not” neighbourhoods. Communities are responding with public-private models: keep the physical network local, let private operators do what they do best, and share the upside as adoption grows—without the city having to “be the ISP”.

Open Access: the go-to model for turning demand into durable economics

Open Access separates the network into three layers—infrastructure (fiber/conduit), operations (active electronics), and services (ISPs and applications).One entity builds and maintains the fiber; many providers compete over it. Think airport + airlines: one shared, capital-intensive infrastructure; many consumer choices riding on top. This structure lifts take-rates (more choice → more buyers), reduces overbuild waste, and makes rural deployments cash-flow positive/ROI-positive on realistic timelines. It’s also future-proof: you can invite new providers or new classes of services (tele-health, smart ag, security) without touching the glass.

Two practical truths make Open Access work in the real world:

  1. Customer Self-Service. Subscribers shop, order, and manage accounts in a digital marketplace (the customer portal), so adds/moves/changes don’t swamp your team. Zero-touch provisioning turns “buy” into “live” in minutes.
  2. Automation across operations. Wholesale billing, tickets, work orders, and outage comms run off a single source of truth that ties addresses, services, providers, and network elements together—keeping OPEX in check as you scale.

→ fun fact, one of our customers runs their network with a team of two

The COS Systems piece (move fast, stay efficient)

  • COS Business Engine: runs the broadband business end-to-end—from surveys and sign-ups to activation, billing, and support.
  • Customer portal: address check, plan compare, checkout, payments, self-service changes, real-time status.
  • Provider portal: onboard ISPs, set products/promos/areas, manage marketplace listings, track orders and settlements.
  • Plus: automated orders & provisioning, wholesale billing/settlements, tickets, field ops, outages, reporting, and integrations.

Proof in the wild

City of Superior, WI: stood up a marketplace where residents compare providers, order, and manage accounts—fast path from concept to day-one take-rate.

Clearwater County, Alberta, Canada: Arcadis + Calix + COS—shared fiber platform serving multiple last-mile technologies with a consumer-friendly marketplace.

Kitsap PUD, WA: community-owned, open access; thousands of passings, 6+ ISPs, automated sign-ups to settlements—scaling without extra headcount.

How modern broadband turns “nowheres into “somewheres”

Own the long-lived fiber infrastructure, invite competition through more customer choice, and automate the journey. You get higher take-rates, lower churn, healthier unit economics—and real options for people who were told to “move for opportunity.” 

If you’re exploring how to take your “nowhere” to “somewhere,” let’s map demand, choose the right Open Access model, and stand up a marketplace your residents will actually use. That first flawless click on Join is closer than you think. 

Contact Adam today!

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Neutral Host Network: The Future of Shared Connectivity

Published: September 24, 2025

What is a Neutral Host Network?

Ever wonder why some areas have only one internet provider while others have more choice?

That’s where a neutral host network comes in. It’s a broadband network built to be open to multiple service providers. Think of it like a highway that anyone can drive on instead of private access roads.

The network owner focuses on building and delivering the infrastructure. Providers focus on providing their services on top of that shared infrastructure. Communities get choice, competition, and coverage.

Why Communities and Providers Care

  • Communities want affordable, reliable broadband.
  • Providers want to expand without crushing infrastructure costs.
  • Residents and businesses want options—not just one ISP.

A neutral host network checks all three boxes. It’s built for scale, flexibility, and shared use. That’s why more local governments, utilities, and private partners are looking at this model.

The Problems Neutral Host Networks Solve

  • High build costs – fiber and wireless deployments are capital intensive.
  • Limited competition – one provider often dominates a market.
  • Slow expansion – small ISPs struggle to break in.
  • Funding pressure – federal and state programs demand sustainable solutions.

Neutral host networks help overcome each of these.

How Neutral Host Networks Work in Practice

Here’s the simple version:

  • One network, many tenants
  • A neutral host (city, utility, or private company) builds, maintains, and operates the infrastructure.
  • Multiple service providers lease capacity and compete to serve end users.

It’s not theory—it’s already happening in the U.S. and abroad.

Benefits for Providers, Communities, and End Users

For providers:

  • Lower entry costs
  • Faster time to market
  • No need to duplicate infrastructure

For communities:

  • Long-term ownership of critical infrastructure
  • More providers = competition drives innovation in products and services
  • Attracts businesses and talent

For end users:

  • More choice
  • Better prices
  • Improved service quality

Funding and Sustainability: Making it Real

Federal programs like BEAD, ARPA, and CPF are pouring billions into broadband. But money alone doesn’t solve sustainability.

Here’s what makes a neutral host network last:

  • Open access policies that attract providers
  • Scalable platforms to manage services and billing
  • Community buy-in to keep adoption high

Without these, even funded projects risk stalling.

Stories from the Field

When I worked with state broadband offices, one pattern stood out: Projects controlled by a single provider often ran into roadblocks—slower builds, higher costs, and limited competition. But when communities adopted open access or neutral host models, progress accelerated.

Take Kitsap Public Utility District in Washington State.
Operating a fully open-access fiber network since 2016 and powered by COS Systems, Kitsap PUD has become a leading example of how neutral host models can drive digital equity in rural and underserved areas.

  • 400+ miles of fiber deployed
  • 6,000+ premises passed and growing
  • Multiple ISPs on the network, offering true customer choice
  • Take rates exceeding 40% in some areas, far above national averages for new fiber builds

By leveraging COS Business Engine to automate service provisioning, manage multi-ISP workflows, and streamline customer support through the customer portal, Kitsap PUD reduced operational complexity and enabled faster onboarding of ISPs. The result? Competitive pressure that improved service offerings and reduced costs for residents—without duplicating infrastructure.

This isn’t a theoretical model—it’s a functioning, scalable, and sustainable network that’s helping close the digital divide one community at a time.

That’s the power of the neutral host model in action.

What to Watch for Next

The neutral host network isn’t just a trend—it’s becoming the backbone of digital equity. Expect to see:

  • More public-private partnerships
  • More municipal, utility, and public sector network infrastructure ownership
  • Platforms that simplify multi-provider network management

The future isn’t about one provider owning the road. It’s about building the road together—and letting everyone drive on it.

— Adam Puckett, VP Sales Americas @ COS Systems

Do you want to learn more or to explore how COS Systems can help you launch or optimize a neutral host fiber network?

Contact Adam today!

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The Rise of Neutral Hosts in the Digital Infrastructure Value Chain

Published: September 15, 2025

A Turning Point for Broadband: Ownership, Access, and Innovation

The global telecommunications and broadband infrastructure landscape is undergoing a pivotal transformation. As capital demands for building and upgrading high-capacity networks continue to surge, traditional models of vertically integrated ownership are proving economically unsustainable.

Enter the neutral host: a scalable, cost-efficient model that is now redefining how broadband infrastructure is deployed, financed, and utilized.

The Evolution of the Neutral Host Model

Since the early 2000s, operators have taken incremental steps toward infrastructure sharing, initially through joint ventures and structural separations (e.g., InfraCos and ServiceCos). What began as tower-sharing has now expanded into a robust ecosystem of neutral hosts covering:

  • Fiber broadband networks (FTTx)
  • Open access platforms
  • Edge and in-building infrastructure
  • Data centers and satellite ground stations
  • Government-sponsored wholesale networks

Notably, models like Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) and Malaysia’s Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) show how public-private collaboration can successfully catalyze the neutral host model. However, it is the expansion of open access fiber networks, often underpinned by software-driven operational platforms like COS Business Engine, that has brought neutrality from niche to necessity.

COS Systems’ Role: Enabling Open Access at Scale

At COS Systems, we specialize in enabling neutral open access fiber networks through our end-to-end SaaS platform. The COS Business Engine provides the automation, service orchestration, and financial transparency necessary for infrastructure owners to lease wholesale access to multiple ISPs—without sacrificing neutrality, performance, or customer experience.

This software-driven neutrality supports everything from service catalog integration and SLA management to automated billing and provisioning—drastically reducing operational overhead while maximizing service diversity and tenant revenue.

Market Forces Driving Neutral Hosts Forward

Several macroeconomic and technological forces are accelerating this shift:

  • ROI Pressures: Infrastructure investors seek long-term utility-like returns. Neutral host models—with their higher tenancy ratios and lower per-user costs—offer predictable income streams.
  • Policy Support: Regulators across the EU, US, and parts of Africa are actively promoting wholesale and open access models to increase broadband competition and close the digital divide.
  • Technology Shifts: The movement toward network virtualization, AI-powered network management, and 5G/6G-ready infrastructure favors modular ownership models where neutrality is essential for cross-industry applications.

Legal and Commercial Considerations: Navigating the Complexity

For ISPs and Service Providers:

  • Loss of Infrastructure Control: Dependence on neutral hosts requires robust SLAs and assurances to meet customer expectations, particularly in mission-critical use cases.
  • Margin Pressure: Retail pricing flexibility may be constrained by fixed wholesale access fees, requiring careful contract negotiation.
  • Compliance Allocation: Data protection, lawful intercept, and infrastructure obligations must be clearly divided between hosts and service providers.

For Neutral Host Owners:

  • Sale-Leaseback Complexity: Transitions must balance autonomy with anchor tenant requirements for performance and pricing.
  • Operational Independence: Neutral hosts must be fully operational on day one—either through in-house capabilities or transitional agreements.
  • Vendor and SLA Coordination: Active services increase the complexity of coordinating across vendors, tenants, and platforms.

Regulatory Dynamics: Global Variability, Shared Uncertainty

Regulation of neutral hosts varies significantly across regions. In some jurisdictions, they are regulated as carriers or critical infrastructure providers. Others are still defining appropriate legal and operational frameworks.

COS Systems supports stakeholders in navigating this uncertainty through proven deployment strategies that comply with regional telecom, privacy, and infrastructure standards.

Conclusion: Neutrality as an Innovation Driver

The rise of neutral hosts marks a foundational shift in how broadband infrastructure is owned, operated, and monetized. Enabled by platforms like COS Business Engine, this model allows fiber owners to scale infrastructure investments while enabling a competitive and innovative retail ecosystem.

As demand for high-speed, reliable connectivity increases—especially in underserved and rural regions—the neutral host model emerges not only as a viable solution but a critical enabler of digital equity, economic development, and service innovation.

With COS Systems, infrastructure owners and operators gain the tools to deploy and manage neutral, automated, and future-proof broadband networks that deliver on both financial and societal ROI.

Related COS Capabilities

For more information or to explore how COS Systems can help you launch or optimize a neutral host fiber network, get in touch with our team.

Learn more and book your demo today!
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Dark Fiber: Why Communities Invest in Unused Fiber Optic Networks

Ever asked yourself: Why would anyone invest in fiber optic cables that aren’t even turned on? What’s the point of building something you don’t use right away? That’s exactly what Dark Fiber is all about. It’s fiber optic cable that’s already in the ground, but not yet “lit” with the electronics needed to carry data. Think of it like laying train tracks before you actually buy the trains. The infrastructure is there, waiting for the right moment.

What Is Dark Fiber in Network Infrastructure?

In broadband, there are three layers you need to understand:

  • Backbone – The highways moving data between cities and regions.
  • Middle Mile – The city streets distributing traffic inside the community.
  • Last Mile (or Drop) – The driveways connecting homes and businesses to the network.

Without the backbone, your community can’t connect to the global internet. Without the middle mile, neighborhoods stay stranded. And without the last mile, residents never get service.

The Dark Fiber Backbone Open Access Model

Here’s the common setup communities use: They invest in the backbone only. This means they cover the most expensive and long-term part of the network. Then they open it up for private providers to lease. The logic is simple: The community builds the road, and providers bring the cars.

Pros of Dark Fiber Backbone Open Access

  • Cost efficiency – Communities only pay for the fiber, not the electronics.
  • Simple operations – No need for technical staff or expensive network equipment.
  • Encourages private investment – Providers face lower costs, making it easier to enter the market.

Cons of Dark Fiber Backbone Open Access

But let’s be honest—this model isn’t perfect.

Learn more and book your demo today!
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