A federal lawsuit filed in January, winding its way through court filings, is exposing financial cracks in a rural broadband expansion story that had been celebrated as one of telecom’s most promising buildouts.
American Tower LLC and its acquisition affiliate SpectraSite Communications filed suit on January 16, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma against @Link Services LLC, doing business as AtLink Services. The complaint alleges breach of contract and seeks more than $13.2 million in damages — plus the right to physically remove AtLink’s equipment from Oklahoma cell towers, a remedy that could devastate internet service for tens of thousands of rural customers.
At the center of the dispute is a Strategic Collocation and Site License Modification Agreement signed June 11, 2021, under which AtLink was granted rights to install equipment on American Tower-owned cell towers across Oklahoma. According to the complaint, AtLink fell behind on required monthly payments. On January 29, 2025, American Tower issued a formal notice of default; AtLink failed to cure within the contractual 30-day window.
American Tower is seeking $745,067 in overdue rent already accrued, plus $12,497,702 for the full remaining contract term — totaling more than $13.2 million before interest and attorneys’ fees. The company is also asking the court to authorize physical removal of AtLink’s equipment from its tower sites. American Tower is represented by GableGotwals in Oklahoma City.
AtLink has until April 9, 2026, to respond to the complaint. They are represented by Crowe & Dunlevy.
Who Is AtLink?
Founded in 2005 by engineer Samual Curtis, AtLink Services grew into Oklahoma’s largest fixed-wireless internet provider, serving more than 15,000 customers across 60-plus communities. It markets itself on no contracts, no data caps, and a price-lock guarantee, and participates in the federal Lifeline assistance program — making it a provider of last resort for many rural Oklahomans.
The Element8 Acquisition — What the FCC Filings Reveal
In March 2023, Fort Worth-based Element8 announced a $200 million investment from Digital Alpha Advisors and simultaneously acquired AtLink — a deal that earned the 2024 Telecommunications Deal of the Year award. AtLink founder Samual Curtis was elevated to CEO of Element8 itself.
But the most consequential detail isn’t in the press releases — it’s in an FCC filing. When Element8 sought regulatory approval to transfer AtLink’s licenses, it disclosed the deal was structured as a Membership Equity Purchase Agreement, with the FCC’s public notice stating that “upon consummation of the proposed transaction, AtLink will be a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Element8.”
Unlike an asset purchase — where a buyer can typically disclaim prior liabilities — a membership interest purchase transfers the entire legal entity, obligations and all. Element8 didn’t buy AtLink’s customers while leaving its debts behind. It bought the company itself, including the 2021 American Tower agreement now at the center of this lawsuit.
The FCC filing also disclosed that non-U.S. investors hold approximately 54% of the equity in the Digital Alpha funds involved, resulting in an estimated 37.97% indirect foreign equity interest in AtLink. The FCC granted approval but required Element8 to sign a Letter of Agreement with the DOJ’s National Security Division, warning that non-compliance could result in license termination without further action.
No Federal Lifeline — and No BEAD Money Either
The financial picture is made worse by what AtLink isn’t receiving. Despite serving rural communities that are prime targets for federal broadband subsidies, neither AtLink nor Element8 appears among Oklahoma’s provisional BEAD award recipients. Oklahoma allocated $797 million in BEAD funding across 20 providers, with awards going heavily to fiber operators and tribal entities. Element8’s own leadership signaled as much in 2023, saying the company’s “primary mission is to serve customers and build great networks, not pursue subsidies.” That posture may look different now, with $13 million in tower debt accruing and no federal grants in the pipeline.
What’s at Stake
Element8 is not named as a defendant, but its exposure is real. Because the acquisition was a membership interest purchase, @Link Services LLC is the same legal entity that signed the 2021 agreement — it simply has a new parent. Failure to resolve the debt risks losing the tower access that powers AtLink’s Oklahoma network, jeopardizes FCC license compliance, and threatens the credibility of a company that raised $200 million on a promise to connect rural America.
