WideOpenWest

About WideOpenWest

WideOpenWest, Inc., operating under the brand WOW!, is a telecommunications company providing high-speed data, cable television, and digital telephony services to residential and business customers across several U.S. states. Established in 1996 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company was founded by Thomas M. Crowley, Richard Breen, and J. Armando Rodriguez with the strategy of consolidating cable operations in underserved markets. Steven Cochran was also a key figure in the company's early development after its incorporation in 1999.

The company's growth trajectory was significantly shaped by a series of acquisitions. In 2001, WOW! purchased Americast, which expanded its footprint into metropolitan areas around Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, and Detroit. A major milestone occurred in 2006 when private equity firms Avista Capital Partners and Oak Hill Capital Partners acquired the company, injecting capital for network upgrades and further expansion. This was followed by the acquisition of Knology in 2012. WOW! went public in May 2017, listing on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "WOW", which raised capital to reduce debt and fund growth initiatives. Over the years, WOW! has also strategically divested certain service areas to companies like Atlantic Broadband (now Breezeline) and Astound Broadband.

WOW!'s business model is centered on a subscription-based revenue stream for its services. For residential customers, the company offers a portfolio of services including high-speed internet with speeds up to 5 Gbps in certain fiber markets, digital telephone (VoIP), and, historically, cable TV. In a strategic shift, WOW! began migrating its video customers to YouTube TV in 2023 to free up bandwidth on its network for enhanced internet services. For business clients, WOW! provides a suite of products including fiber-based services, office-to-office metro Ethernet, and various cloud services. The company operates a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network and has been actively investing in expanding its all-fiber footprint to enhance its competitive position.

The company is led by CEO Teresa Elder, who joined in December 2017 with extensive experience in the telecommunications industry from roles at companies like AT&T Broadband and Vodafone Ireland. Under her leadership, WOW! has focused on customer experience and expanding its high-speed internet offerings. Recently, it was announced that Crestview Partners and DigitalBridge Group would be taking the company private.