Omni Fiber Files Federal Lawsuit Against the City of Stow, Ohio to Bring Fiber Internet Choice to its Residents

After 18+ months of good-faith effort, Omni Fiber asks the federal court to enforce its right to fair, non-discriminatory access to public rights-of-way

MASON, OH, UNITED STATES, September 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Omni Fiber, a leading provider of high-speed fiber optic Internet services in the Midwest, today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the City of Stow in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. The complaint alleges that the City has blocked Omni Fiber from building its 100% fiber network in Stow by repeatedly rejecting permit applications on shifting and contradictory grounds, applying standards it did not apply to other providers, and failing to honor a court-mediated Permit Procedure Agreement signed in March 2026.

Omni Fiber has sought to bring Stow residents and businesses a new choice in high-speed Internet since early 2025, when the City encouraged the company to invest in the community. Omni Fiber planned a fiber optic distribution network across Stow to serve homes, businesses, and other institutions. To date, the City has not approved a single construction permit.

“We came to Stow because the City told us we were welcome, and because Stow’s residents and business community deserve a real choice in high-speed Internet,” said Darrick Zucco, CEO of Omni Fiber and a former Stow resident. “For more than a year and a half, we have redesigned our plans again and again, met with City staff, and even signed an agreement the City helped negotiate. Going to court is the last thing we wanted. But after every good-faith step failed, we are asking the court to make sure Stow follows the same rules for Omni Fiber that it applies to everyone else.”

According to the lawsuit, Omni Fiber first applied for construction permits in March 2025. Over the following months, the City changed its requirements, contradicted its own earlier guidance, and raised new objections with each resubmission. Omni Fiber has spent more than $3.8 million on engineering and design to meet those shifting demands. The complaint further alleges that the City approved permits for other providers, including direct competitors, without imposing the same requirements on them.

In November 2025, Omni Fiber asked the Ninth District Court of Appeals of Ohio to order the City to act on its applications. That case led to mediation and a Permit Procedure Agreement, signed on March 6, 2026, which required the City to review permits within 30 days, to reject applications only on reasonable legal grounds, to not discriminate against Omni Fiber, and to work in good faith to resolve issues within 10 days. Since then, the City has rejected Omni Fiber’s application again, including on issues the parties had already resolved, and has failed to respond within the agreed timelines.

Omni Fiber is certified by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio as a telecommunications provider and by the Department of Commerce for video service. Under federal and Ohio law, certified providers have the right to use public rights-of-way, and local governments must manage that access on a fair, competitively neutral, and nondiscriminatory basis. The lawsuit asserts claims under Section 253 of the federal Communications Act, the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, Ohio law protecting utilities’ property rights, breach of the Permit Procedure Agreement, and promissory estoppel, and seeks damages for the losses Omni Fiber has suffered.

“Cities play an important role in managing their rights-of-way, and Omni Fiber respects that role in the more than 70 communities where we built our network and now operate successfully,” said Brian Dengler, General Counsel of Omni Fiber. “But federal and state law are clear: a local government cannot use the permitting process to block a certified provider or to favor one company over another. We remain open to a negotiated resolution that lets us start building in Stow.”

Omni Fiber remains committed to serving Stow and the surrounding communities in the Summit County area and will continue to seek a cooperative path forward with City leaders while the case proceeds. Stow residents and businesses interested in Omni Fiber service can place a no-obligation pre-order at www.omnifiber.com or by calling 1-844-844-OMNI (6664).

About Omni Fiber
Founded in 2022, Omni Fiber is backed by Oak Hill Capital, one of the largest investment firms in the telecommunications industry. Based in Ohio, Omni Fiber is led by a leadership team with 100+ years of combined industry experience and provides fiber Internet, Mobile, TV, and Phone services to residential and business customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Texas. Omni Fiber offers symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps, no hidden fees, no data caps, Premium Wi-Fi included, local customer service, and competitive pricing. For more information, please visit www.omnifiber.com.

Andres Tovar
Omni Fiber
andres.tovar@omnifiber.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook
Instagram