Alabama Fiber Network is the middle-mile backbone for the state of Alabama, uniting fiber assets and expertise from eight Alabama electric cooperatives and strategic partners around one goal: a resilient, high-capacity, scalable network that reaches every corner of the state. Our infrastructure enables last-mile expansion, drives economic development, and supports critical services in Alabama’s rural and underserved communities.
Why We Exist
Alabama was once among the least-connected states in the country. AFN has changed that. By building the statewide backbone—not serving homes directly—AFN has made world-class connectivity possible for every internet provider, hospital, school, and government office in Alabama, regardless of how rural the address.
Our Cooperative Model
AFN was built differently. Rather than starting from a single corporate network, AFN was formed by pooling dark fiber strands, rights-of-way, and decades of rural-infrastructure experience from eight Alabama-based electric cooperatives, together with state and federal investment. That means AFN is locally rooted and member-driven rather than answering to outside shareholders — the same model that has delivered reliable electricity to rural Alabama for generations, now applied to fiber.
It’s also a public-private partnership: state and federal broadband funding, administered through ADECA, paired with the cooperatives’ existing infrastructure and easements to build a statewide network faster and more efficiently than any single company could have on its own. For customers, that means a network built for the long term, governed by the communities it serves, and open to any partner who wants to extend it further.
Timeline
Alabama Fiber Network is built to a higher standard than typical commercial fiber buildouts: utility-grade underground construction, the latest optical and packet switching gear, and protected rights-of-way inherited from our cooperative partners’ decades of electric infrastructure work. The result is a network designed for resiliency and longevity — infrastructure Alabama can build on for decades, not just a connection.
Beginning with Governor Ivey’s signing of the Connect Alabama Act to drive broadband expansion statewide, AFN’s statewide build was made possible through more than $270 million in combined state and federal investment, awarded through ADECA. Here’s a look at our history.
Trusted by Leading Organizations Across Alabama
“The City of Sheffield is very pleased with the internet connectivity AFN is providing.”
Bryan R. Van Devender
Mayor
City of Sheffield
“This is our second location with AFN service, and we are very pleased. It makes a real difference to our operations and residents.”
Sal.Lee Sasser-Williams
Owner
Southland Nursing Home
“We could not be happier with the service and customer care they are providing.”
Frank Dobson
ATRC
Take the Next Step
Alabama Fiber Network doesn’t sell directly to homeowners — we partner with the providers and Community Anchor Institutions that serve Alabama.
Whether you’re a last-mile ISP, wireless carrier, or government partner, AFN is open-access by design. Tell us about your network and we’ll help you find the right connection point.
