NextG Networks

About NextG Networks

NextG Networks, Inc. operated as a facilities-based carrier's carrier, specializing in the design, permitting, construction, and management of fiber-optic Distributed Antenna System (DAS) networks. The company was founded in 2001 by John Georges and David Cutrer. Georges, an entrepreneur with an engineering background, had previously co-founded LGC Wireless in 1996, a company focused on indoor networking solutions. Anticipating a surge in mobile data and voice traffic that would strain existing infrastructure, he established NextG to address the growing demand for enhanced wireless network performance.

The firm's core business involved providing transport and backhaul services to wireless service providers. Its primary offering was outdoor DAS, a network of small, low-power antennas connected by fiber to a central communications hub. This architecture served as an alternative to traditional large cell towers, improving wireless coverage and capacity, particularly in dense urban and suburban areas where macro sites were challenging to deploy. The systems were designed to be aesthetically unobtrusive, often mounted on poles, to comply with local zoning regulations. A key feature of NextG's networks was their protocol-neutral design, which allowed them to support multiple carriers, services, and technologies simultaneously from a single system.

The company's business model centered on building and owning these DAS networks and then leasing access to multiple wireless carriers. At the time of its acquisition, its networks averaged 1.25 tenants each, indicating capacity for growth. NextG's clients were major wireless carriers requiring improved network quality to handle rising call traffic, reduce dropped calls, and deliver faster data speeds for smartphones. A significant milestone was its acquisition by Crown Castle International Corp., a deal announced in December 2011 and finalized in April 2012 for approximately $1 billion. At that point, NextG was the largest provider of outdoor DAS in the United States, with over 7,000 active nodes, rights to over 4,600 miles of fiber, and a strong presence in top metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.