Public-Private Partnerships Fuel Opportunity for Oklahoma
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2026, OneNet recognizes the critical role public-private partnerships have played in our mission since 1996. Collaboration is vital to our ability to deliver reliable, high‑speed connectivity across Oklahoma. The connections we provide depend on strong, enduring partnerships—especially with the local telecommunications providers throughout Oklahoma who help us reach even the most rural corners of our state.
From the beginning, OneNet was designed as a middle‑mile network, connecting communities across Oklahoma and providing the backbone that supports education, research, health care, government, and public services. But reaching individual subscriber locations, referred to as the last mile, requires a different kind of connection: one made possible through local telecommunications providers.
How We Work Together
Today, OneNet partners with approximately 30 telecommunications providers statewide, many of whom have worked alongside us since we became operational in 1996. These providers supply the last‑mile circuits that extend our network into schools, libraries, hospitals, clinics, tribal and local governments, and other public entities. In fact, 92% of OneNet non-higher education subscribers connect through circuits provided by local telecommunications partners. When a subscriber requests service, OneNet’s provisioning team reaches out to local providers within that community for service quotes. Providers are selected based on service type, pricing, and any special requirements. 
Watch our video that explains how Public-Private Partnerships work!
Fueling Rural Connectivity and Economic Growth
These partnerships do more than extend infrastructure. They expand opportunity. Public‑private collaboration ensures that:
Rural and underserved communities gain access to high‑speed broadband.- Providers receive substantial reinvestment from the circuits OneNet purchases, totaling more than $10 million annually.
Working together enables us to deliver services in all 77 Oklahoma counties, reaching areas that may have been previously underserved. As a result, broadband becomes a catalyst for educational advancement, public services, health care access, and economic development.
Extending Impact Through OCAN
OneNet also manages the Oklahoma Community Anchor Network (OCAN), which is a 1,100‑mile middle‑mile fiber network supporting 93 community anchor institutions across 35 rural counties. OCAN strengthens our ability to serve rural areas by empowering public‑private partnerships that extend services into local communities. Through OCAN, local telecommunications providers can purchase fiber services that extend their service areas into new communities, improving access to education, health care, libraries, and local government services. The network also creates new opportunities for telecommunications providers to expand their services to businesses and residences in these communities, fueling economic growth throughout rural Oklahoma.
A Shared Commitment to Oklahoma’s Future
Together with our telecommunications partners, we’re building a stronger, more connected future for Oklahoma. Our shared goals and dedication to service make it possible to deliver broadband to the places where it’s needed most. As we plan for the future, OneNet remains committed to fostering these public‑private partnerships. Because when we collaborate, we create more than connectivity. We create opportunity.
If you are a telecommunications provider in Oklahoma and would like to partner with OneNet, please reach out to provisioning@onenet.net.
This project may include content that was generated in part with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools.