06/05/2025
Dear Open Wireless Customers,
It is with a heavy heart that we share some difficult news. On Wednesday, June 4th, our primary licensed 11GHz backhaul radio—responsible for delivering internet connectivity to our entire network—was damaged by undetermined environmental factors (lightning, power surge, or both). The resulting damage has rendered this critical piece of equipment completely inoperable.
As soon as conditions allowed, our team thoroughly investigated the equipment and supporting infrastructure. Unfortunately, we discovered that the extent of the damage is severe, and restoring service would require a level of cost, resources, and time that is beyond what we can realistically deliver.
While we’ve worked hard to overcome many challenges in the past, this event has forced us to make the incredibly difficult decision to wind down operations and shut down the Open Wireless network, effective immediately.
Why We’re Closing
We founded Open Wireless in 2021, in the wake of the pandemic, because we recognized how vital reliable internet access had become—especially in rural and underserved areas of Florida. Our mission was simple but important: bridge the digital divide. And with your support, we built a high-speed, fixed-wireless network that connected many households across Groveland and Clermont.
Running a small, independent internet service provider in a changing and competitive landscape has never been easy. Over the past few years, we’ve weathered storms—literally and figuratively. We’ve dealt with power instability, equipment failures, and other growing pains, but we always pushed forward to improve and restore service whenever we could.
At the same time, the market evolved quickly. Large providers like Spectrum expanded aggressively, offering fiber-based services with subsidized government funding through programs like RDOF, BOP, CPF, and BEAD. Starlink made major strides in rural broadband access by investing billions in satellite infrastructure. Competing against providers with national reach, massive resources, and cutting-edge infrastructure became increasingly difficult.
Despite these headwinds, we remained committed to serving you—our neighbors—with the highest quality service possible. But the damage from this recent storm was the final blow we couldn’t recover from.
What Happens Next
We understand this is a disruption, and we’re doing everything possible to support you during the transition to a new provider. To assist you, we’ve put together a Resource Guide for Groveland and Clermont that includes how to determine which providers are available at your address, a comparison of internet technologies, and what to expect from each.
Thank You
We want to express our deepest gratitude for your trust, patience, and support over the years. While we didn’t always get it right, your feedback, encouragement, and loyalty kept us going—and made this journey worthwhile.
We’re proud of what we accomplished together. We built something meaningful during a time when our communities needed it most. And for that, we’ll always be thankful.
With sincere appreciation,
The Open Wireless Team
