- Carolina West Wireless is the latest U.S. regional carrier to call it quits
- The company has served western North Carolina counties since 1991
- Verizon will offer an exclusive offer to customers to assist in the transition
Another struggling rural carrier is shutting down. Carolina West Wireless struck an agreement to transition its wireless network to Verizon and will end its wireless services effective September 30, 2026. Terms were not disclosed.
Based in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Carolina West Wireless was formed 35 years ago and is owned by a partnership of Skyline Telephone and Surry Communications. The company provides wireless service across 11 western North Carolina counties.
“This decision was made with the future of our customers and communities at the forefront,” said Carolina West Wireless CEO Slayton Stewart in a statement. “The wireless industry increasingly requires greater scale and investment to deliver the next generation of connectivity. We believe our customers and communities will benefit from continued innovation, expanded resources and the strong network performance they rely on every day.”
The company said it’s committed to supporting employees throughout the transition process with severance benefits, career transition services and ongoing communication.
Customers have until September 30
Customers are being told that they need to transition their wireless service to a new carrier by September 30, 2026. Verizon will be making an “exclusive offer” to assist in the transition, but details were not immediately available.
“Carolina West Wireless has been a trusted staple in western North Carolina for decades, and we look forward to driving the next generation of connectivity for these communities,” said Jerome Cheatham, East Area President at Verizon, said in a statement. “Our priority is to deliver an outstanding customer experience backed by unparalleled network performance and competitive offerings that keep this region connected to what matters most.”
Verizon has a deep history with smaller regional carriers, going back to its 2010 launch of the LTE in Rural America program, which was designed to bring LTE coverage to rural markets faster than what Verizon could do by itself. Carolina West Wireless was part of that program.
With declining federal subsidies and shrinking roaming revenue, it’s increasingly difficult for rural and regional wireless carriers to stay afloat. Last year, T-Mobile closed its $4.3 billion acquisition of UScellular, the largest regional operator at the time, with about 4 million customers.