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Based in San Francisco, California, Common Networks was a wireless internet service provider that delivered high-speed residential broadband using proprietary millimeter-wave and graph-based mesh networking technology. Prior to its industry exit, the company scaled its operations to approximately 200 employees while providing an alternative to traditional cable and DSL connections for suburban homeowners. The enterprise raised over $34 million in total venture capital funding, which included a $25 million Series A financing round to accelerate its regional network expansion. Its financial backing came from a syndicate of prominent institutional investors, featuring recognizable names such as General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, and Lux Capital. Following several years of independent operation, the business was acquired by multinational networking firm GTT Communications in March 2022. Common Networks was founded in 2016 by Zach Brock, Grace Chen, Mark Jen, and Jessica Shalek.
Common Networks has raised $34.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Common Networks has raised $34.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Common Networks has raised $34.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $25.0M Series B in August 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2018 | $25M Series B | General Catalyst | Craft Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Founders' Co OP, LUX Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Novum Capital Partners, Renegade Partners, Starbridge Venture Capital | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2017 | $7M Series A | — | Eclipse Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Founders' Co OP, Norwest Venture Partners, Renegade Partners, LUX Capital | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2016 | $2M Seed | Eclipse Ventures | Long Journey Ventures | Announced |
Common Networks is a San Francisco-based technology company founded in 2016 that provides wireless 5G home internet with fiber-class speeds, targeting communities underserved by traditional fiber infrastructure.[1][2] It builds proprietary wireless hardware to deliver high-speed connectivity powered by local connections, serving residential customers with transparent pricing—no hidden fees or data caps—while solving the problem of slow, expensive, or unavailable broadband in many neighborhoods.[1][2] The company has raised over $34 million from investors like General Catalyst, Eclipse Ventures, and Lux Capital, achieving early growth by covering over 100,000 people in under three years at a fraction of fiber deployment costs (less than 1/50th the price).[1][2]
Common Networks was founded in 2016 by Grace Chen, Jessica Shalek, Zach Brock, and Mark Jen, a team of experts in hardware and networking who aimed to rethink home internet access from the ground up.[1][2] The idea emerged from frustration with lengthy fiber installations involving digging up yards, leading to a wireless 5G approach that connects neighborhoods faster and cheaper using local infrastructure.[1] Early traction came quickly: in less than three years, the company expanded coverage to over 100,000 people, securing $34 million in funding from top VCs and proving the model's viability without traditional construction hurdles.[1][2]
Common Networks rides the 5G proliferation and broadband equity wave, capitalizing on spectrum availability and demand for affordable high-speed internet amid remote work, streaming, and digital divides.[1] Timing aligns with post-pandemic infrastructure pushes and regulatory focus on underserved areas, where fiber's high costs (time-intensive builds) leave gaps that wireless fills efficiently.[1][2] Market forces like rising VC interest in telecom disruptors favor it, as competitors struggle with deployment delays; Common influences the ecosystem by pioneering "fiber-class" wireless, potentially accelerating nationwide coverage and pressuring incumbents on pricing and speed.[1]
Common Networks is positioned for aggressive expansion as 5G matures and governments incentivize rural/urban broadband alternatives, potentially scaling to millions of users via partnerships and further funding rounds. Trends like edge computing and IoT will amplify demand for its low-cost, high-speed model, evolving its role from niche provider to national player challenging cable giants. Watch for acquisitions or IPO as it hits critical mass, redefining accessible internet much like it reimagined deployment from the start.[1][2]
Common Networks has raised $34.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Common Networks's investors include General Catalyst, Craft Ventures, Eclipse Ventures, FirstMark Capital, Founders' Co-op, Lux Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Novum Capital Partners, Renegade Partners, Starbridge Venture Capital, Long Journey Ventures.
