# Residential proxies after ISP mergers: which ASN to target in 2026

> Charter-Cox, Verizon-Frontier, AT&T-Quantum Fiber: which ASN to target for residential proxies after each 2025-2026 ISP merger, checked October 2026.

- URL: https://broadbandproxies.com/guides/isp-mergers-and-asns/
- Last updated: 2026-10-18
- Publisher: Broadband Proxies (https://broadbandproxies.com)

Twelve deals changed who owns US home-internet networks in 2025 and 2026. Routing has not caught up with all of them.

**Quick answer — Which ASN should I use after an ISP merger?**

Use the ASN that announces the homes today, not the new owner's. As of October 18, 2026, Cox homes still route on AS22773 after the Charter deal (August 19, 2026), Frontier on AS5650 under Verizon, and many Quantum Fiber homes on Lumen's AS209 under AT&T. **Broadband Proxies** includes ASN targeting on every plan from $2.63; no KYC, crypto only.

## What changed, and which ASN to target now?

Closing dates from company filings and releases; ASN holders from RIPEstat, checked 2026-10-18.

*Checked 2026-10-18*

| Deal | Closed | Target today | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Charter](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/spectrum/) + [Cox](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/cox/) | August 19, 2026 | `asn-22773` for Cox areas; Spectrum ASNs elsewhere | Cox markets move to the Spectrum brand; parent to be renamed Cox Communications within a year |
| Verizon + [Frontier](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/frontier/) | January 20, 2026 | `asn-5650` | Frontier fiber now counted in Verizon's fiber total |
| Verizon + [Starry](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/starry/) | January 30, 2026 | `asn-27611` | Fixed wireless for apartment buildings in five metros |
| AT&T + Lumen consumer fiber ([Quantum Fiber](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/centurylink-quantum-fiber/)) | February 2, 2026 | `asn-209`, then check `asn-7018` | About 95% of Quantum Fiber, 11 states |
| BCE + [Ziply Fiber](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/ziply-fiber/) | August 1, 2025 | `asn-20055` | Pacific Northwest fiber; ASN registered as Wholesail networks |
| Uniti + Windstream ([Kinetic](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/kinetic/)) | August 1, 2025 | `asn-7029` | Kinetic is Uniti's consumer segment |
| T-Mobile JV + [Lumos](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/lumos/) | April 1, 2025 | `asn-7795` | Retail as T-Mobile Fiber; routing stays on Lumos ASNs |
| T-Mobile JV + Metronet | July 24, 2025 | Not documented | We could not verify Metronet's announcing ASN |
| Brookfield + [Hotwire](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/hotwire/) | September 3, 2025 | `asn-23089` | Community and condo fiber, mostly Florida |
| WOW! taken private ([WOW!](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/wow/)) | December 31, 2025 | `asn-12083` | Same brand and network |
| Altice USA renamed [Optimum](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/optimum/) | November 7, 2025 (name) | `asn-6128`, `asn-19108` | Name change only |
| [Point Broadband](https://broadbandproxies.com/isps/point-broadband/) + Clearwave Fiber | May 4, 2026 | `asn-26479` | Clearwave ranges may sit on other ASNs during integration |

## Why does routing lag behind ownership?

Moving millions of customers to another network is an engineering project, not a legal one. Address blocks have to be re-registered or re-announced, modems re-provisioned, and peering and transit contracts merged. Until then the acquired company keeps running its network under its own AS number, often for years: Charter still routes former Time Warner Cable regions, bought in 2016, on their original ASNs.

For targeting, that is good news. The old ASN remains a precise way to reach the acquired company's homes, even after the brand has changed.

## Which deals are still pending?

As of October 18, 2026:

- **GFiber + Astound:** announced in March 2026, expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026. Keep `asn-16591` for Google Fiber and `asn-6079`, `asn-11404` or `asn-7459` for Astound.
- **T-Mobile + i3 Broadband** (expected in the second half of 2026) and **GoNetspeed + Greenlight Networks** (expected in the first half of 2027).
- **Cable One + Mega Broadband (Vyve):** temporarily blocked by a federal judge on October 9, 2026.
- **AT&T's sale of a controlling stake in Forged Fiber**, the subsidiary holding the former Lumen fiber assets, is planned but not done.

We will update this page and the [changelog](https://broadbandproxies.com/changelog/) when these close.

## How do I check that an old ASN still works?

Request an IP with the old ASN and look it up in RIPEstat, as shown in [check the ASN of your exit IP](https://broadbandproxies.com/guides/check-exit-ip-asn/). Then look at the ASN's routing status: if RIPEstat shows it still announcing prefixes, it is still the right target. If an ASN stops announcing, as Mediacom's AS25613 and Ziply's legacy AS27017 had on 2026-10-18, move to the ASN that now carries the ranges.

## Mergers and ASN targeting: FAQ

### Is Cox now Spectrum?

Corporately, yes: Charter completed the Cox deal effective August 19, 2026, and former Cox markets are moving to Spectrum branding. Technically, Cox homes still route on AS22773 as of October 18, 2026, so target `asn-22773` for them.

### Who owns Quantum Fiber?

AT&T, since February 2, 2026. Many of those homes still route on Lumen's AS209. Try `asn-209` first in former Qwest cities such as Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis and Phoenix, then check.

### Does a merger change geolocation?

Sometimes. IP databases may relabel an organization ('Charter' instead of 'Cox') before or after routing changes. The location of the home does not change.

### Will Broadband Proxies update targets automatically?

The gateway targets whatever ASN you write. We update these pages when routing data changes; check the [changelog](https://broadbandproxies.com/changelog/) after major deals.

## Sources

1. [Charter Form 8-K: completion of the Cox and Liberty Broadband transactions](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1091667/000114036126033909/ef20080687_8k.htm) — Charter / SEC EDGAR (2026-10-18)
2. [Verizon Form 8-K: completion of the Frontier acquisition](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/732712/000119312526016059/d198618d8k.htm) — Verizon / SEC EDGAR (2026-10-18)
3. [AT&T Form 10-Q, quarter ended June 30, 2026 (Lumen transaction)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0000732717/000073271726000297/t-20260630.htm) — AT&T / SEC EDGAR (2026-10-18)
4. [Uniti Form 10-Q, quarter ended June 30, 2026](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/0002020795/000162828026051048/unit-20260630.htm) — Uniti / SEC EDGAR (2026-10-18)
5. [BCE completes acquisition of Ziply Fiber](https://searchlightcap.com/news/bce-completes-acquisition-of-ziply-fiber-accelerating-its-fiber-growth-strategy/) — Searchlight Capital (2026-10-18)
6. [T-Mobile Form 10-Q, quarter ended June 30, 2026 (Lumos, Metronet, i3, GoNetspeed)](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1283699/000128369926000101/tmus-20260630.htm) — T-Mobile / SEC EDGAR (2026-10-18)
7. [Judge blocks Cable One-MBI deal after lender lawsuit](https://broadbandbreakfast.com/judge-blocks-cable-one-mbi-deal-after-lender-lawsuit/) — Broadband Breakfast (2026-10-18)
8. [Point Broadband and Clearwave Fiber close merger](https://www.point-broadband.com/news/point-broadband-and-clearwave-fiber-close-merger) — Point Broadband (2026-10-18)

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