ISP

Regional ISP Says Fiber Buildout Will Deliver Noticeable Gains by 2027

Brightspeed said it spent its first six months rebuilding inherited Lumen systems and pushing its footprint toward a fiber-first model.

Akul Saxena

Nov 19, 2025 — 1 min read

Photo of Brightspeed CEO Michel Combes

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19, 2025 — Brightspeed, a Charlotte-based regional internet service provider, spent its first five months under new leadership addressing what CEO Michel Combes described as an underinvested and aging network inherited from previous ownership.

Combes spoke at the Fiber Broadband Association’s Fiber for Breakfast series, a weekly industry forum hosted by the national fiber trade group. He said Brightspeed took over a footprint previously operated by Lumen Technologies, including large segments of copper and DSL infrastructure that had experienced years of deferred upgrades.

Combes said early work centered on installation quality, troubleshooting practices and improving the customer support systems tied to those processes.

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ISP Fiber Lumen Technologies Brightspeed Michel Combes Midwest South FBA Fiber for Breakfast

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