Ara Partners Acquires Majority of Centric Fiber

Private equity firm Ara Partners acquires a majority stake in Centric Fiber to accelerate US fiber-to-the-home network expansion.

Infrastructure-focused private equity firm Ara Partners has acquired a majority stake in Centric Fiber, a key move to rapidly expand fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks across underserved U.S. markets. This strategic investment injects significant capital into a critical piece of national broadband infrastructure, directly supporting the Biden administration's goal of bridging the digital divide. The acquisition signals intensifying competition in the fiber rollout race, positioning Centric to challenge larger incumbents and other privately-backed builders for market share in lucrative suburban and secondary-city footprints.

This private equity-backed acceleration starkly contrasts with the slower, more capital-constrained growth typical of independent fiber operators. Ara Partners is leveraging its sector expertise to execute a capital deployment strategy that prioritizes aggressive network expansion over gradual build-outs. This matters because it demonstrates that sophisticated financial players view fiber as a foundational, recession-resilient asset with predictable long-term returns, validating the entire fiber investment thesis and attracting further institutional capital to the sector.

For telecom executives and municipal planners, this deal underscores the shifting landscape of broadband deployment. It proves that private capital is ready to fund builds in areas beyond the traditional focus of major telcos. The forward-looking insight is clear: the race to connect America will be increasingly fought by well-funded, niche operators like Centric. This will force incumbents to lower prices and accelerate their own plans, while giving cities more leverage to negotiate favorable public-private partnerships for last-mile connectivity. Ara's bet is that fiber ownership will be the defining competitive advantage in the next decade of connectivity.