ZenFi Networks

ZenFi's network comprises over 1,100 route miles of fiber, roughly 1,800 outdoor small-cell nodes, and the backhaul infrastructure supporting LinkNYC's gigabit-wireless kiosks across all five boroughs. It also provides connectivity into major carrier hotels and data centers at 60 Hudson Street, 111 Eighth Avenue, and 32 Avenue of the Americas. These counts reflect the combined ZenFi-Boldyn footprint as described in corporate disclosures following the 2022 acquisition.

ZenFi leases dark fiber, lit bandwidth, and small-cell site access on a carrier-neutral basis. AT&T and T-Mobile have been publicly cited as anchor tenants for outdoor small-cell deployments in the New York market. The firm's commercial agreements are structured as long-term master lease or IRU contracts, functioning as digital ground leases.

Rather than owning vertical macro towers, ZenFi builds distributed, street-level fiber infrastructure attached to municipal light poles, transit stations, and street furniture. The model combines municipal right-of-way agreements with pre-sold carrier capacity — meaning revenue is contracted before the firm sinks capital into a given corridor. This shifts the operational risk toward permitting and construction execution rather than speculative tenancy.

In October 2022, BAI Communications acquired ZenFi and subsequently rebranded the parent group as Boldyn Networks in 2023. The ZenFi business unit now operates as the US Northeast regional arm of Boldyn, with co-founders Ray LaChance and Victoria Lamberth continuing in leadership roles. The combined entity serves as the largest neutral-host provider in the New York metro, spanning underground transit, surface-level kiosks, and suburban fiber rings.

ZenFi is an infrastructure operating company, not a fund or family office. It constructs and owns physical fiber assets on its balance sheet (or that of its corporate parent) and generates revenue through multi-year carrier leases. Its capital originally came from venture and infrastructure investors including Seaport Capital and funds managed by John Hancock before the 2022 acquisition.

In 2018, ZenFi acquired the communications infrastructure assets from the CityBridge consortium — including the fiber backhaul, network operations center, and physical kiosk connectivity for 1,700-plus LinkNYC units. ZenFi does not manage the public Wi-Fi or advertising services; it owns or administers the underlying fiber pipes that deliver bandwidth to each kiosk location.

ZenFi negotiates master franchise or right-of-way agreements directly with city transportation and IT departments. In New York, the firm secured a multi-borough franchise allowing it to place fiber under sidewalks and attach small-cell radios to city-owned light poles. This municipal-consent model gives the firm exclusivity in certain corridors and aligns permitting timelines with carrier deployment schedules.