Cable One is responding to the decline of its traditional broadband business through mergers and acquisitions in the fiber optic sector. Specifically, the company is expanding the scale of its Clearwave joint venture and acquiring full ownership of Vyve Broadband. Meanwhile, the company has just hired a new CEO.
Like its peers, Cable One has been working hard to cope with the continuous loss of broadband users. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is doubling its bet on fiber optic growth. The company will merge its Clearwave Fiber joint venture with Point Broadband, aiming to establish “one of the largest independent fiber optic operators in the United States,” covering over 500000 households or locations in 12 states.
Clearwave was co founded by Cable One and three private equity partners in 2022, providing residential and commercial fiber optic services in the Midwest and Southeast of the United States. Point Broadband, also supported by private equity, was founded in 2017 and serves 10 states. Cable One is currently an investor in Clearwave and Point Broadband, and intends to maintain a significant shareholder position in the merged company after the transaction is completed. But this is not the only investment in the Cable One plan.
Expand fiber optic and rural market layout
Independent of the aforementioned merger, the operator announced on Monday that it will acquire full ownership of Mega Broadband Investment Holdings (MBI), which provides broadband, fiber optic, video, and voice services under the Vyve Broadband brand. The press release states that Vyve primarily serves rural markets in 16 states, and as of September 30th, its network covers approximately 675000 households or locations.
Cable One’s latest fiber optic initiative was made after the operator lost 21600 residential broadband users in the third quarter of 2025, and then CEO Julie Laulis pointed out that the overall customer loss was disappointing. The company is also burdened with approximately 3.3 billion US dollars in debt.
Roger Entner, head of Recon Analytics, told Fierce: “Cable One is in a difficult situation, and fiber optic undoubtedly helps provide a better user experience. For cable TV companies, it is more important not to treat their fiber optic customers like cable TV customers.”
Facing competition and integration pressure
In addition to the intensifying competition in fiber optic and wireless services, CCG Consulting President Doug Dawson pointed out in a blog post in October that another issue faced by smaller cable TV companies like Cable One is fixed coverage. He wrote, “Comcast and licensed telecommunications companies are expanding to some extent through new network construction and subsidy opportunities, but even so, their overall coverage point growth is not significant.”
Dawson speculates that Cable One may become the acquisition target of a larger Internet service provider (ISP). Another regional cable TV operator WOW! Recently privatized by DigitalBridge and Crestview, the transaction was completed on December 31st.
Appointing a new CEO
At the same time, there are also many changes happening within Cable One. The company announced the appointment of James Holanda as the new CEO at the end of December. Holanda previously served as the CEO of Astound Broadband and has worked at both Chartered Communications and Comcast. He is expected to take office before March 31, 2026.
Since June 2025, when Laulis announced plans to retire at the end of the year, Cable One has been searching for a new CEO. Before Holanda takes over, Chief Financial Officer Todd Koetje will serve as interim CEO.
Holanda said in a statement, “I look forward to working with the board, leadership team, and all Cable One colleagues to explore future growth opportunities, continue to innovate, and compete fiercely in the current dynamic market environment.”