FCC Approves SoftBank’s Acquisition of Regional ISP WideOpenWest!
The ISP is likely set to become the first U.S. broadband provider with majority Japanese ownership.
WASHINGTON, July 28, 2026 – WideOpenWest is on track to become one of the first U.S. broadband providers with majority Japanese ownership.
On July 27, the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireline Competition Bureau approved the transfer of regional internet provider WOW! to Japanese investment firm SoftBank Group Corp.
The Japanese investment firm filed an application with the FCC back in February, seeking transaction approval. In June, the FCC responded, saying it had accepted the application for streamlined processing because the deal did not pose any risks to U.S. communications infrastructure.
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice’s Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Sector, also known as Team Telecom, passed on reviewing the acquisition of WOW!
In April, DigitalBridge stockholders overwhelmingly voted to approve the company’s $4 billion sale to SoftBank, with 96% of shareholders voting in favor of the deal. DigitalBridge Group purchased WOW! in late December 2025 at a $1.5 billion enterprise valuation.
The FCC’s approval document did not mention SoftBank by name, but named Duncan Holdco LLC, a private holding company that is under SoftBank.
Tokyo-based SoftBank is a $150 billion technology investment firm led by CEO Masayoshi Son. In December, the firm announced its plans to invest $100 billion in U.S. projects during the Trump administration.
WOW! is based in Englewood, Colo., and has about 465,000 customers, deploying fiber to thousands of new locations in central Florida and South Carolina.
