Airband Communications

History and Founding

Airband Communications was founded in 2000 by Andrew Lombard in Dallas, Texas. The company launched with a bold vision: to deploy a nationwide ultra high-speed wireless broadband network capable of delivering speeds up to 10 Mbps – at least ten times faster than contemporaneous DSL offerings. Its first market was Dallas, announced in November 2000, with an aggressive national rollout schedule planned. By building its own fixed-wireless infrastructure, Airband bypassed the local loop of incumbent carriers, promising service installation within days rather than the weeks or months typical for wired alternatives. This value proposition resonated particularly with small and medium-sized businesses frustrated by the limited availability and high cost of traditional business broadband.

Services and Technology

The company’s technological backbone relied on Cisco equipment, including the Cisco 12000 series high-end IP routing platform and the Cisco uBR7246 Universal Broadband Router, making Airband an early adopter of Cisco’s UNII broadband fixed wireless solution. This relationship earned Airband designation as a Cisco Powered Network (CPN) provider, a mark of network quality and reliability. Over the years, Airband expanded its service suite beyond pure internet access to include Voice over IP (both hosted and SIP trunking), managed security, and Ethernet services with scalable speeds between 3 Mbps and 20 Mbps in initial channel offerings.

Market Position and Partnerships

Airband Communications remains privately held. Its ownership structure has seen involvement from venture capital firms Battery Ventures, Crescendo Ventures, and Sevin Rosen Funds, which provided early-stage funding. In a notable financing event, the company secured $12.5 million in additional funding to accelerate growth in existing markets and expand its product set, though the exact date of this round is not precisely specified in public records. The company has also launched a channel program, enabling resellers and partners to offer Airband’s fixed wireless Ethernet, VoIP, and managed services to end customers.

As of the latest available data, Airband Communications employs between 51 and 200 people, with headquarters in Carrollton, Texas. Its official website is www.airband.com. The company continues to operate as one of the largest independent fixed-wireless broadband providers focused on the US business market, though detailed public information about its current leadership team is sparse. The company should not be confused with separate entities also named Airband: (1) Airband Communications Pvt Ltd, a call center/BPO firm in Pakistan, and (2) Airband Community Internet, a UK-based rural broadband provider. The US-based Airband Communications is the subject of this profile.