Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 13.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.4bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
The rural broadband gap persists as households gain greater internet service provider options but remain trapped by limited competition
- Wireless internet service providers (WISPs) experienced a significant surge in demand during 2020 and subsequent years, following the pandemic. With millions conducting business on digital and hybrid platforms, reliable internet access has become essential. The growing demand for high-quality streaming, combined with the increasing popularity of gaming, has also contributed to this heightened need for reliable, high-speed internet. Although many regions benefited from infrastructure upgrades during this period, numerous rural areas still lack access to broadband connections and affordable internet.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Wireless internet service providers will broaden their portfolios to deliver tailored connectivity and expand into emerging digital markets
- To meet the growing demand for reliable internet services, wireless internet service providers (WISPs) will increasingly expand their portfolios to provide tailored solutions for specific customers. With a significant portion of the population permanently relying on remote work and digital services, WISPs will pursue new revenue streams in areas such as telemedicine, virtual care and online education, while also delivering robust connectivity solutions for small businesses. By broadening their services, they not only expand into new industries but also enhance accessibility for customers within those downstream markets, reinforcing their role as critical digital infrastructure partners.
Biggest companies in the Wireless Internet Service Providers in the US
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue ($m)
2025 | Profit ($m)
2025 | Profit Margin (%)
2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rise Broadband | 73.9 | 9.2 | 12.4 |
To view the market share and analysis for all 1 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Licensed Fixed Wireless, Unlicensed Fixed Wireless and Licensed-by-rule Fixed Wireless. Licensed Fixed Wireless is the largest segment of the Wireless Internet Service Providers in the US.
Trends and Insights
The reliability and exclusivity of licensed fixed wireless internet services make them the backbone of long-term provider revenue strategies
- Licensed fixed wireless services involve using spectrum that is regulated and requires a license, ensuring exclusive use. Its regulated nature provides a stable and interference-free connection, which appeals to enterprise customers and has enabled these services to become the largest product segment for wireless internet service providers. The exclusivity of the spectrum often allows for premium pricing, boosting industry revenue. This segment's reliability makes it a foundation for providers' long-term revenue generation strategies.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Wireless internet service providers (WISPs), also known as fixed wireless broadband providers, use fixed terrestrial wireless networks to provide internet access, typically in rural areas. Many WISPs use unlicensed spectrum and are locally based. This industry does not include mobile broadband services provided by major telecommunications companies.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States include Unlicensed fixed wireless internet service, Licensed fixed wireless internet service and Licensed-by-rule (LBR) fixed wireless internet service.Companies
Companies covered in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States include Rise Broadband.Purchase this report to view all 1 major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States include spectrum, broadband, wi-fi, wireless internet service provider (wisp) and wireless.Industry Code
NAICS 517312 - Wireless Internet Service Providers in the US
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Internet demand has soared, especially in rural areas, as more people rely on digital platforms for work. Fixed wireless broadband providers are raking in the benefits but ha...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Licensed fixed wireless is carving out a premium market by offering exclusive, interference-free connections. Its appeal to enterprise customers, boosted by the advancements ...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
The Southwest dominates the wireless internet service provider market due to its large population and extensive rural areas. This combination allows providers to scale more e...
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each state in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each state in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Price competition has intensified as the industry has become increasingly inundated with new entrants, both large and small. Bundled services have begun to penetrate the mark...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
GI Partners' 2023 acquisition of Rise Broadband (RB) marked a major investment in rural connectivity. The firm's capital boost enabled RB to expand its fiber-to-the-home serv...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
- Overview of Rise Broadband's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
Detailed analysis
- Description and key data for Rise Broadband, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
Demand for internet connectivity has boomed over the last decade, with broadband and internet connections multiplying dramatically. This growth has prompted a healthy wave of...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Industry profitability has waned amid heightened price competition between wireless internet service providers. As more entrants have penetrated the market, both small enterp...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Industry Multiples (2018-2023)
- Industry Tax Structure (2018-2023)
- Income Statement (2018-2023)
- Balance Sheet (2018-2023)
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2023)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States in 2025?
The market size of the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is $1.4bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States in 2025?
There are 320 businesses in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 30.7 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States?
The Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States?
The Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States has been growing at a CAGR of 13.1 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States?
The biggest company operating in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is Rise Broadband
What does the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States include?
Unlicensed fixed wireless internet service and Licensed fixed wireless internet service are part of the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States?
The company holding the most market share in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States is Rise Broadband.
How competitive is the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Wireless Internet Service Providers industry in the United States.
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the US include:
- US Census Bureau
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- US International Trade Commission
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
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