The top 18 telecommunications firms in Orange County experienced an estimated 5.7% drop in overall headcount for the year ended July. Yet, two Irvine-based firms reported double-digit employee growth: Boldyn Networks US Operations LLC and Cityside Fiber.
Ranked No. 11, Cityside Fiber, a fiber-to-the-premise developer and internet service provider, showed the largest headcount growth this year, with the four-year-old startup reporting 100 employees this year. That’s an increase of nearly 41% from the 71 employees Cityside reported a year ago.
CEO Rod Hanson said “the emergence of exciting new, growth-focused firms—like Cityside Fiber—are reshaping the local landscape by deploying next-generation networks directly to homes and businesses.
“Orange County’s telecommunications and wireless sector is experiencing steady growth and transformation,” Hanson told the Business Journal in an email. “The region is seeing increased investment in infrastructure, particularly in fiber and wireless technologies, as demand for high-speed connectivity continues to surge.”
Top 5 in OC
Orange County’s five largest telecom providers—Verizon Communications, T-Mobile USA Inc., AT&T Communications LLC, Charter Communications Inc. and Cox Enterprises —with local offices in Irvine, Tustin, Anaheim and Foothill Ranch—saw flat or a decline in jobs, according to Business Journal data and estimates.
New Jersey-based Verizon reported 1,547 local employees this year, down from 1,600 OC employees it had last year. Despite the 3.3% decline in headcount at its Irvine office, Verizon maintained its No. 1 ranking.
The No. 2 slot on this year’s list was taken by T-Mobile, which had an estimated 1,184 employees for the year ended in July, down from 1,315 employees last year.
AT&T came in third with an estimated 1,035 employees, compared to a reported headcount of 1,150 last year.
Connecticut-based Charter Communications Inc., ranked No. 4, had an estimated 850 employees at its Orange County operations in Anaheim, the same as last year.
Olympics and FIFA Boost
It’s not all doom and gloom, however.
Orange County and Southern California could see increased investment in the telecommunications sector, thanks to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“With the pending World Cup and Olympics to be hosted in the LA market, we are seeing an uptick in investments to emergency communications and physical security,” David Kim, general manager of BlueViolet Networks, told the Business Journal.
As such, Fountain Valley-based BlueViolet reported a 5% increase in local employees for the year ended July. The leapfrogged four spots on this year’s list to No. 14 with its 46-person headcount.
Boldyn Networks’ CTO Marc Rohleder also underscored the benefits tied to the upcoming World Cup and Olympics.
“The telecommunications and wireless industry in Orange County are experiencing strong momentum, driven by a surge in demand for faster, more reliable connectivity across both public and private sectors,” Rohleder told the Business Journal.
“We’re seeing increased investment in infrastructure to support high-density data usage, especially in preparation for global-scale events like the Olympics and World Cup.”
Local projects like OCVibe and major upgrades at Honda Center are “setting a new standard for smart venues” by “prioritizing fan experience, public safety, and operational efficiency through enhanced wireless infrastructure,” Rohleder continued.
Boldyn Networks, which has headquarters in Irvine and London, ranked 10th on this year’s list, with an Orange County headcount of 121 this year, up 26% from 2024.
Cox Enterprises, the master technology partner for OCVibe, said Orange County is “an increasingly competitive marketplace.”
The Atlanta-based telecommunications firm, which ranked fifth on this year’s list with an estimated 450 employees at its Foothill Ranch location, installed 434 new access points throughout Honda Center to improve Wi-Fi services.
A Cox spokesperson said the company is trying to work with Gen Z and millennial employees to incorporate AI into their everyday workflow.
“Nearly 70% of Gen Z and millennial employees say they feel overwhelmed by the number of technology tools provided by work. Sixty-five percent say they are more familiar with their personal tools than those offered by their company, and believe they are both faster and easier to use,” Colleen Dillaway, a market vice president at Cox, told the Business Journal.
“From our perspective, this presents a tremendous opportunity for telecommunications companies and our teams to enhance their strategies around tech investment, rollouts, training, and policies; ensuring they meet the evolving needs of a workforce that is rapidly becoming the majority,” she continued.
Dropping off this year’s list were Cypress-based Method Technologies Inc. and Irvine-based MobileX.
Research Director Desmond Celo contributed to this report.
