Lumen Doubles Network-as-a-Service Customer Base as Enterprises Rapidly Shift to Programmable Connectivity

Key Terms

network-as-a-service (naas) technical

Network-as-a-service (NaaS) is a way companies rent managed networking capabilities — like secure connections, routing and traffic control — from a provider instead of building and running their own hardware. Think of it like paying for utility-grade internet plumbing rather than installing pipes yourself; for investors it signals subscription-style, recurring revenue for providers and can lower customers' upfront costs and scaling risk, affecting demand and margins.

programmable network platform technical

A programmable network platform is a software-driven system that lets operators and developers control, customize and automate how data flows across a communications network—think of it like using apps to change how a smartphone behaves, but for routers and switches. It matters to investors because it can reduce costs, speed delivery of new services, and create steady software-based revenue, so companies that build or adopt these platforms may improve margins, scale faster and win new customers more easily.

multi-cloud technical

Multi-cloud is the practice of using services from two or more cloud computing providers instead of relying on just one. For investors, this matters because it can lower operational risk and increase flexibility—similar to renting units from different landlords to avoid being stranded if one has problems—and it can affect a company’s costs, growth potential, and resilience, which in turn influence revenue stability and valuation.

software‑defined technical

Software-defined describes systems where tasks normally handled by physical hardware are instead implemented and controlled by software, so behavior can be changed with code, updates, or configuration rather than swapping parts. For investors, that means companies can scale faster, cut manufacturing and maintenance costs, and roll out new features more quickly—but it also shifts value to software talent and raises risks around bugs, security, and ongoing support, similar to turning a kitchen appliance into an app.

self-service portal technical

An online platform that lets customers, patients, or users access services, information, and account functions directly without staff help — like a self-checkout or online help desk. For investors, a self-service portal matters because it can lower operating costs, speed up transactions, improve user satisfaction, and provide data on usage and trends; those effects influence revenue, margins, and the company’s ability to scale or meet regulatory reporting needs.

Expanded off-net reach and multi-cloud simplicity drive more than 2,000 enterprises to adopt Lumen’s programmable network platform for Cloud 2.0 and AI workloads

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) today announced the company has doubled its network-as-a-service (NaaS) customer base to more than 2,000 businesses since Q3 2025, reflecting how quickly enterprises are shifting to on-demand, programmable networking for AI and cloud workloads.

“Enterprises are redesigning their networks for a world where AI workloads move massive amounts of data across clouds and geographies in real time,” said Jim Fowler, Lumen chief technology and product officer. “Surpassing 2,000 NaaS customers so quickly shows programmable networking is no longer experimental, it’s becoming the control plane for Cloud 2.0. Our platform gives businesses the composability, scalability, and performance they need to operate at AI speed.”

What’s Driving Growth

Growth in Lumen’s NaaS platform is being driven by enterprises rearchitecting networks to support AI-driven and multi-cloud workloads that demand greater flexibility and scale. Since reaching 1,000 customers in August 2025, Lumen has expanded its Internet On-Demand capabilities to more than 10 million new locations, enabling office buildings and data centers across North America to quickly scale connectivity. Adoption has also accelerated as enterprises increase ports per customer, signaling growing reliance on a programmable fabric to support distributed business sites, clouds, and AI-driven environments.

A Platform Built for the AI Era

NaaS is central to Lumen’s digital transformation into the trusted network for AI. As CIOs and hyperscalers modernize architectures for distributed AI workloads, they require more than bandwidth – they need intelligent, programmable infrastructure that delivers low-latency, scale, and control across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Lumen’s new Multi‑Cloud Gateway advances this strategy by adding a software‑defined, self‑service routing layer on top of its global fiber network, giving enterprises a more direct and efficient way to move data between clouds and business locations. This enables faster deployment, lower complexity, and more reliable performance for AI workloads that depend on real‑time data exchange. Lumen’s NaaS can now be managed with Lumen Connect, a self-service portal where users can find, order, and control on-demand connectivity. This network programmability leads to faster deployment, less complexity, and more reliable performance for AI workloads that require real-time data exchange.

Real-World Impact Across Industries

The platform’s growth spans industries, from large enterprise IT environments to live sports that require elastic performance. Among the new enterprises adopting NaaS is the Seattle Sounders FC, which turned to Lumen to build a network that can rapidly scale for game days without paying for peak capacity year-round.

“Live sports don’t operate on a steady curve,” said Kari Escobedo, Interim CTO at Seattle Sounders FC. “We need the ability to scale when the business needs to scale — and to know the network will perform when it matters most. With Lumen NaaS, the network adapts to the business instead of the other way around.”

Recognized Industry Leadership

In 2025, Lumen was named NaaS Provider of the Year - North America by Mplify for delivering an integrated platform that combines on-demand connectivity, application assurance, cybersecurity, and multi-cloud networking into a single programmable platform.

About Lumen Technologies

Lumen is unleashing the world's digital potential. We ignite business growth by connecting people, data, and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. As the trusted network for AI, Lumen uses the scale of our network to help companies realize AI's full potential. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to our edge cloud, security, managed service, and digital platform capabilities, we meet our customers’ needs today and as they build for tomorrow.

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Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including statements regarding management’s expectations with respect to our business, strategy and operations as well as statements identified by words such as “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are not promises nor guarantees of future results, are based on our current expectations only and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including those described in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, as updated in our other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated by us in these statements due to several factors, including those referenced in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260224834941/en/

Media Contact:

Stephanie Meisse

stephanie.n.meisse@lumen.com

419-610-3142

Source: Lumen Technologies