Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Prospective investors should carefully consider the risks described below and other information contained in this annual report, including our financial statements and related notes before purchasing shares of our common stock. There are numerous and varied risks, known and unknown, that may prevent us from achieving our goals. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations may be materially adversely affected. In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline and investors in our common stock could lose all or part of their investment.

Risks Relating to Fixed Wireless Services

We may be unable to successfully execute any of our current or future business strategies.

In order to pursue business strategies, we will need to continue to build our infrastructure and strengthen our operational capabilities. Our ability to do these successfully could be affected by any one or more of the following factors:

Our failure to adequately address any one or more of the above factors could have a significant adverse impact on our ability to execute our business strategy and the long term viability of our business.

We depend on the continued availability of leases and licenses for our communications equipment.

We have constructed proprietary networks in each of the markets we serve by installing antennae on rooftops, cellular towers and other structures pursuant to lease or license agreements to send and receive wireless signals necessary for the operation of our network. We typically seek initial five year terms for our leases with three to five year renewal options. Such renewal options are generally exercisable at our discretion before the expiration of the current term. If these leases are terminated or if the owners of these structures are unwilling to continue to enter into leases or licenses with us in the future, we would be forced to seek alternative arrangements with other providers. If we are unable to continue to obtain or renew such leases on satisfactory terms, our business would be harmed.

We may not be able to attract and retain customers if we do not maintain and enhance our brand.  

We believe that our brand is critical part to our success. Maintaining and enhancing our brand may require us to make substantial investments with no assurance that these investments will be successful. If we fail to promote and maintain the “Towerstream” brand, or if we incur significant expenses in this effort, our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition may be harmed. We anticipate that maintaining and enhancing our brand will become increasingly important, difficult and expensive.

We are pursuing acquisitions that we believe complement our existing operations but which involve risks that could adversely affect our business.

Acquisitions involve risks that could adversely affect our business including the diversion of management time and focus from operations and difficulties integrating the operations and personnel of acquired companies. In addition, any future acquisition could result in significant costs, the incurrence of additional debt to fund the acquisition, and the assumption of contingent or undisclosed liabilities, all of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In connection with any future acquisition, we generally will seek to minimize the impact of contingent and undisclosed liabilities by obtaining indemnities and warranties from the seller. However, these indemnities and warranties, if obtained, may not fully cover the liabilities due to their limited scope, amount or duration, as well as the financial limitations of the indemnitor or warrantor.

We continue to consider strategic acquisitions, some of which may be larger than those previously completed and which could be material transactions.  Integrating acquisitions is often costly and may require significant attention from management.  Delays or other operational or financial problems that interfere with our operations may result.  If we fail to implement proper overall business controls for companies or assets we acquire or fail to successfully integrate these acquired companies or assets in our processes, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.  In addition, it is possible that we may incur significant expenses in the evaluation and pursuit of potential acquisitions that may not be successfully completed.

We have a history of operating losses and expect to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future.

Our fixed wireless segment was launched in 2000 and has incurred losses in each year of operation.    We cannot anticipate when, if ever, our operations will become profitable. We expect to incur significant net losses as we develop our network, expand our markets, undertake acquisitions, acquire spectrum and pursue our business strategy. We intend to invest significantly in our business before we expect cash flow from operations to be adequate to cover our operating expenses. If we are unable to execute our business strategy and grow our business, either as a result of the risks identified in this section or for any other reason, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected.

Cash and cash equivalents represent one of our largest assets and we may be at risk of being uninsured for a large portion of such assets.

As of December 31, 2014, we had approximately $38,000,000 in cash and cash equivalents with two large financial banking institutions.  At times, our cash and cash equivalents may be uninsured or in deposit accounts that exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limits. If the institution at which we have placed our funds were to become insolvent or fail, we could be at risk for losing a substantial portion of our cash deposits, or incur significant time delays in obtaining access to such funds. In light of the limited amount of federal insurance for deposits, even if we were to spread our cash assets among several institutions, we would remain at risk for the amount not covered by insurance.  

Our growth may be slowed if we do not have sufficient capital.

The continued growth and operation of our business may require additional funding for working capital, debt service, the enhancement and upgrade of our network, the build-out of infrastructure to expand our coverage, possible acquisitions and possible bids to acquire spectrum licenses.  We may be unable to secure such funding when needed in adequate amounts or on acceptable terms, if at all. To execute our business strategy, we may issue additional equity securities in public or private offerings, potentially at a price lower than the market price at the time of such issuance. Similarly, we may seek debt financing and may be forced to incur significant interest expense. If we cannot secure sufficient funding, we may be forced to forego strategic opportunities or delay, scale back or eliminate network deployments, operations, acquisitions, spectrum bids and other investments.

Many of our competitors are better established and have significantly greater resources which may make it difficult for us to attract and retain customers.

The market for broadband and related services is highly competitive, and we compete with several other companies within each of our markets. Many of our competitors are well established with larger and better developed networks and support systems, longer relationships with customers and suppliers, greater name recognition and greater financial, technical and marketing resources than we have. Our competitors may subsidize competing services with revenue from other sources and, thus, may offer their products and services at prices lower than ours. Our competitors may also reduce the prices of their services significantly or may offer broadband connectivity packaged with other products or services. We may not be able to reduce our prices or otherwise combine our services with other products or services which may make it more difficult to attract and retain customers. In addition, businesses which are presently focused on providing services to residential customers may expand their target base and begin offering service to business customers.

We expect existing and prospective competitors to adopt technologies or business plans similar to ours, or seek other means to develop competitive services, particularly if our services prove to be attractive in our target markets. This competition may make it difficult to attract new customers and retain existing customers.

We may experience difficulties constructing, upgrading and maintaining our network which could increase customer turnover and reduce our revenues.

Our success depends on developing and providing products and services that provide customers with high quality Internet connectivity. If the number of customers using our network increases, we will require more infrastructure and network resources to maintain the quality of our services. Consequently, we may be required to make substantial investments to improve our facilities and equipment, and to upgrade our technology and network infrastructure. If we do not complete these improvements successfully, or if we experience inefficiencies, operational failures or unforeseen costs during implementation then the quality of our products and services could decline.

We may experience quality deficiencies, cost overruns and delays in implementing network improvements and completing maintenance and upgrade projects. Portions of these projects may not be within our control or the control of our contractors. Our network requires the receipt of permits and approvals from numerous governmental bodies including municipalities and zoning boards. Such bodies often limit the expansion of transmission towers and other construction necessary for our business. Failure to receive approvals in a timely fashion can delay system rollouts and raise the cost of completing projects. In addition, we are typically required to obtain rights from land, building or tower owners to install antennae and other equipment to provide service to our customers. We may not be able to obtain, on terms acceptable to us, or at all, the rights necessary to construct our network and expand our services.

We also face challenges in managing and operating our network. These challenges include operating, maintaining and upgrading network and customer premise equipment to accommodate increased traffic or technological advances, and managing the sales, advertising, customer support, billing and collection functions of our business while providing reliable network service at expected speeds and quality. Our failure in any of these areas could adversely affect customer satisfaction, increase customer turnover or churn, increase our costs and decrease our revenues.

We may be unable to operate in certain markets if we are unable to obtain and maintain rights to use licensed spectrum.

We provide our services in some markets by using spectrum obtained through licenses or long-term leases. Obtaining licensed spectrum can be a long and difficult process that can be costly and require substantial management resources.  Securing licensed spectrum may subject us to increased operational costs, greater regulatory scrutiny and arbitrary government decision making.

Licensed spectrum, whether owned or leased, poses additional risks, including:

We utilize unlicensed spectrum in all of our markets which is subject to intense competition, low barriers of entry and slowdowns due to multiple users.

We presently utilize unlicensed spectrum in all of our markets to provide our service offerings.  Unlicensed or “free” spectrum is available to multiple users and may suffer bandwidth limitations, interference and slowdowns if the number of users exceeds traffic capacity. The availability of unlicensed spectrum is not unlimited and others do not need to obtain permits or licenses to utilize the same unlicensed spectrum that we currently utilize or may utilize in the future.  The inherent limitations of unlicensed spectrum could potentially threaten our ability to reliably deliver our services. Moreover, the prevalence of unlicensed spectrum creates low barriers of entry in our industry which naturally creates the potential for increased competition.

Interruption or failure of our information technology and communications systems could impair our ability to provide services which could damage our reputation.

Our services depend on the continuing operation of our information technology and communications systems. We have experienced service interruptions in the past and may experience service interruptions or system failures in the future. Any unscheduled service interruption adversely affects our ability to operate our business and could result in an immediate loss of revenues and adversely impact our operating results. If we experience frequent or persistent system or network failures, our reputation could be permanently harmed. We may need to make significant capital expenditures to increase the reliability of our systems, however, these capital expenditures may not achieve the results we expect.

Excessive customer churn may adversely affect our financial performance by slowing customer growth, increasing costs and reducing revenues.

The successful implementation of our business plan depends upon controlling customer churn. Customer churn is a measure of customers who cancel their services agreement. Customer churn could increase as a result of:

An increase in customer churn can lead to slower customer growth, increased costs and a reduction in revenues.

If our business strategy is unsuccessful, we will not be profitable and our stockholders could lose their investment.

There is no prior history of other companies that have successfully pursued our strategy of delivering fixed wireless bandwidth services to businesses. Many fixed wireless companies have failed and there is no guarantee that our strategy will be successful or profitable. If our strategy is unsuccessful, the value of our company may decrease and our stockholders could lose their entire investment.

We may not be able to effectively control and manage our growth which would negatively impact our operations.

If our business and markets continue to grow and develop, it will be necessary for us to finance and manage expansion in an orderly fashion. In addition, we may face challenges in managing expanding product and service offerings, and in integrating acquired businesses. Such events would increase demands on our existing management, workforce and facilities. Failure to satisfy increased demands could interrupt or adversely affect our operations and cause backlogs and administrative inefficiencies.

The success of our business depends on the contributions of key personnel and our ability to attract, train and retain highly qualified personnel.

We are highly dependent on the continued services of (i) Philip Urso, Chairman, (ii) Jeffrey M. Thompson, President and Chief Executive Officer, and (iii) Joseph Hernon, Chief Financial Officer. Our calendar year, employment agreement with Mr. Thompson is automatically extended for an additional year, unless either party gives prior written notice of non-renewal to the other party no later than November 2 of each agreement term. We do not have an employment agreement with Mr. Hernon. We cannot guarantee that any of these persons will stay with us for any definite period. Loss of the services of any of these individuals could adversely impact our operations. We do not maintain policies of "key man" insurance on our executives.

In addition, we must be able to attract, train, motivate and retain highly skilled and experienced technical employees in order to successfully introduce our services in new markets and grow our business in existing markets. Qualified technical employees often are in great demand and may be unavailable in the time frame required to satisfy our business requirements. We may not be able to attract and retain sufficient numbers of highly skilled technical employees in the future. The loss of technical personnel or our inability to hire or retain sufficient technical personnel at competitive rates of compensation could impair our ability to grow our business and retain our existing customer base.

We could encounter difficulties integrating acquisitions which could result in substantial costs, delays or other operational or financial difficulties.

Since 2010, we have completed five acquisitions.  We may seek to acquire other fixed wireless businesses, including those operating in our current business markets or those operating in other geographic markets. We cannot accurately predict the timing, size and success of our acquisition efforts and the associated capital commitments that might be required. We expect to encounter competition for acquisitions which may limit the number of potential acquisition opportunities and may lead to higher acquisition prices. We may not be able to identify, acquire or profitably manage additional businesses or successfully integrate acquired businesses, if any, without substantial costs, delays or other operational or financial difficulties.

In addition, such acquisitions involve a number of other risks, including:

The inability to successfully integrate and manage acquired companies could result in the incurrence of substantial costs to address the problems and issues encountered.

Our inability to finance acquisitions could impair the growth and expansion of our business.

The extent to which we will be able or willing to use shares of our common stock to consummate acquisitions will depend on (i) the market value of our securities which will vary, (ii) liquidity which can fluctuate, and (iii) the willingness of potential sellers to accept shares of our common stock as full or partial payment. Using shares of our common stock for acquisitions may result in significant dilution to existing stockholders. To the extent that we are unable to use common stock to make future acquisitions, our ability to grow through acquisitions may be limited by the extent to which we are able to raise capital through debt or equity financings. We may not be able to obtain the necessary capital to finance any acquisitions. If we are unable to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, we may be required to reduce the scope of expansion or redirect resources committed to internal purposes. Our inability to use shares of our common stock to make future acquisitions may hinder our ability to actively pursue our acquisition program.

We rely on a limited number of third party suppliers that manufacture network equipment, and install and maintain our network sites. 

We depend on a limited number of third party suppliers to produce and deliver products required for our networks. If these companies fail to perform or experience delays, shortages or increased demand for their products or services, we may face a shortage of components, increased costs, and may be required to suspend our network deployment and our service introduction.  We also depend on a limited number of third parties to install and maintain our network facilities. We do not maintain any long term supply contracts with these manufacturers. If a manufacturer or other provider does not satisfy our requirements, or if we lose a manufacturer or any other significant provider, we may have insufficient network equipment for delivery to customers and for installation or maintenance of our infrastructure. Such developments could force us to suspend the deployment of our network and the installation of new customers thus impairing future growth.

Customers may perceive that our network is not secure if our data security controls are breached which may adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers and expose us to liability.

Network security and the authentication of a customer’s credentials are designed to protect unauthorized access to data on our network. Because techniques used to obtain unauthorized access to or to sabotage networks change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate or implement adequate preventive measures against unauthorized access or sabotage. Consequently, unauthorized parties may overcome our encryption and security systems, and obtain access to data on our network. In addition, because we operate and control our network and our customers’ Internet connectivity, unauthorized access or sabotage of our network could result in damage to our network and to the computers or other devices used by our customers. An actual or perceived breach of network security, regardless of whether the breach is our fault, could harm public perception of the effectiveness of our security controls, adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers, expose us to significant liability and adversely affect our business prospects.

The delivery of our services could infringe on the intellectual property rights of others which may result in costly litigation, substantial damages and prohibit us from selling our services.

Third parties may assert infringement or other intellectual property claims against us. We may have to pay substantial damages, including for past infringement if it is ultimately determined that our services infringe a third party’s proprietary rights. Further, we may be prohibited from selling or providing some of our services before we obtain additional licenses, which, if available at all, may require us to pay substantial royalties or licensing fees. Even if claims are determined to be without merit, defending a lawsuit takes significant time, may be expensive and may divert management’s attention from our other business concerns. Any public announcements related to litigation or interference proceedings initiated or threatened against us could cause our business to be harmed and our stock price to decline.

Risks Related to Shared Wireless Infrastructure

In January 2013, the Company incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Hetnets Tower Corporation ("Hetnets") to operate the newly formed, Shared Wireless Infrastructure segment. References in this section to "We", "Us", or "Our" refer to the Company, Towerstream Corporation, as a whole. In this section, "its" refers to Hetnets on a business segment operating basis. Risks associated with Hetnets and its focus on shared wireless infrastructure include:

We have limited experience operating a shared wireless infrastructure company.

Our recently formed subsidiary, Hetnets, has operated as a shared wireless infrastructure enterprise for a limited time period, since January 2013. We may decide to operate Hetnets as a stand-alone business with its own management and board. For the near term, the management and board of directors are expected to be composed entirely of Towerstream officers and directors which could raise conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that we will be able to execute our business plan for Hetnets. We may not be able to operate Hetnets successfully, including generating revenues and achieving profitability.

Hetnets is a new, untested business model that is similar to, yet different than, many traditional tower companies and for this reason is subject to many risks of tower companies and other risks which may not presently be known. If we are unable to execute our business strategy, or are unable to attract customers or capital either as a result of the risks identified herein or for any other reason, our business, results of operations, and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected and we may be forced to terminate operations related to Hetnets, which could have a material adverse effect on the business, results of operations and financial condition of the Company as a whole.

Hetnets has limited operating history and this lack of experience may impede our ability to successfully manage the Hetnets business.

Key members of our management team responsible for leadership roles in the Hetnets business have limited experience operating a business that is solely engaged in the Shared Wireless Infrastructure business. We do not believe there is any existing business that is dedicated primarily to establishing a dominant position in shared wireless infrastructure to be offered for use by others and as such both management and the business face uncertain risks. Hetnets has no operating history as a separate company. We cannot assure you that our past experience will be sufficient to successfully operate Hetnets as a separate business.

For a period of time, we will utilize shared resources of Towerstream for Hetnets’ business and operations. If our management, sales, finance and accounting staff is unable for any reason to respond adequately to the increased demands that will result from separate operations, we may be forced to incur additional administrative and other costs to avoid experiencing deficiencies or material weaknesses in our disclosure controls and procedures or our internal control over financial reporting. We have not yet established processes or procedures for operating Hetnets as a separate business unit.

Hetnets has a history of operating losses and we expect to continue incurring losses for the foreseeable future.

Our Shared Wireless Infrastructure business was launched in 2013, has incurred losses in each year of operation and we expect it to continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future.  We cannot anticipate when, if ever, Hetnets’ operations will become profitable. We expect that Hetnets will incur significant net losses as we pursue our business strategy. We intend to invest significantly in Hetnets before we expect cash flow from operations to be adequate to cover its operating expenses.

We may be unable to successfully execute any of the business opportunities we have identified for Hetnets to pursue.

In order for Hetnets to pursue business opportunities, we will need to build an effective company infrastructure and establish operational capabilities. Our ability to accomplish these objectives could be affected by any one of the following factors:

The failure of Hetnets to adequately address any one or more of the above factors could have a significant adverse impact on its ability to execute its business plan and may adversely affect its and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Many of the potential customers of Hetnets have substantially greater assets than the Company and may invest in developing their own shared or dedicated wireless infrastructure.  Our competition may include businesses that are also potential customers.  Either of these developments could have a material adverse effect on Hetnets and its business, results of operations and financial condition. Our competition may include businesses that are also potential customers of Hetnets.

Our plans for Hetnets may include financing or joint ventures on a stand-alone basis or a spinoff of all or a portion of the ownership of Hetnets.

Our plans for Hetnets may include financing for Hetnets on a stand-alone basis, joint venture arrangements with strategic partners or financial investors, spinning all or a portion of Hetnets off to our stockholders, or a public offering of a portion of the equity of Hetnets, although such actions have not yet been approved by the Company and may change. Any of these actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

We depend on the continued availability of leases for our Hetnets shared wireless infrastructure business.

We intend to seek to obtain five year initial terms for our leases with renewal options of three to five years each, although there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so. Such renewal options are exercisable generally at our discretion before the expiration of the current term. If these leases are terminated or if the owners of these structures are unwilling to continue to enter into leases with us in the future, we could be forced to seek alternative arrangements with other building owners. If we are unable to continue to renew or replace our shared wireless infrastructure leases on satisfactory terms, Hetnets’ and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

We are a new entrant in an industry which is dominated by very large companies and which is subject to long sales cycles and market volatility .

We expect long lead times from our prospective customers prior to establishing predictable, recurring revenue streams for our Hetnets segment due to the long-term nature of purchasing and commitment decisions of large organizations. We also expect to experience delays in converting our customer trials into purchase orders from our prospective customers. The nature and duration of adoption and commitment delays is unpredictable. We depend on the willingness of our prospective customers to transact business with a new entrant in the tower industry offering shared wireless infrastructure, which technologies have not been fully proven or adopted by the industry. In addition, we will continue to be subject to the financial strength and creditworthiness of our customers. Wireless service providers and other prospective customers operate with substantial leverage and have in the past filed for bankruptcy. As a small company, we may be more vulnerable than larger companies to client credit issues, payment delays and bankruptcies. In economic down cycles, necessary capital raising activities by our customers may be thwarted and cause further delays or impact new technology deployment which could adversely affect us. Each of the foregoing factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

Hetnets will rely on a limited number of suppliers that manufacture carrier-class shared wireless infrastructure equipment.

Hetnets depends on a limited number of third party suppliers for carrier-class equipment required for its shared wireless infrastructure. It also depends on a limited number of third parties to install and maintain its infrastructure equipment. Hetnets does not maintain any long term supply contracts with these manufacturers. If a manufacturer or other provider does not satisfy Hetnets’ requirements, it may not have sufficient equipment for the installation of new network locations or the maintenance of existing locations. Such developments could force it to suspend the deployment of its shared wireless infrastructure and may impair its growth. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

If data security controls employed by Hetnets are breached, customers may perceive that its shared wireless infrastructure is not secure which may adversely affect its ability to attract and retain customers, and expose Hetnets to liability.

Wireless infrastructure security and the authentication of customer credentials are designed to protect unauthorized access to data on our shared wireless infrastructure. Because techniques used to prevent unauthorized access to or to sabotage wireless infrastructure change frequently and may not be recognized until launched against a target, Hetnets may be unable to anticipate or implement adequate preventive measures against unauthorized access or sabotage. Consequently, unauthorized parties may overcome Hetnets’ encryption and security systems, and gain access to data on its wireless infrastructure. In addition, because Hetnets operates and controls its shared wireless infrastructure and our customers’ Internet connectivity, unauthorized access or sabotage of the Hetnets shared wireless infrastructure could result in damage to Hetnets’ shared wireless infrastructure and to the computers or other devices used by its customers. An actual or perceived breach of shared wireless infrastructure security, regardless of whether the breach is the fault of Hetnets, could harm public perception of the effectiveness of its security controls, adversely affect its ability to attract and retain customers, expose it to significant liability and adversely affect its business prospects. This could have a material adverse effect on Hetnets’ and, accordingly, our business, results of operations and financial condition.

     The technology used by Hetnets may infringe on the intellectual property rights of others which may result in costly litigation, substantial damages and prohibit it from operating.

Third parties may assert infringement or other intellectual property claims against Hetnets related to its trademarks, services or the technology it uses or may use in the future to operate its shared wireless infrastructure. Hetnets may have to pay substantial damages, including damages for past infringement, if it is determined that its shared wireless infrastructure infringe a third party’s proprietary rights. Further, it may be prohibited from maintaining the infringing shared wireless infrastructure or portions thereof or be required to pay substantial royalties or licensing fees to maintain it. Even if claims are determined to be without merit, defending a lawsuit takes significant time, may be expensive and may divert management’s attention from our other business concerns. Any public announcements related to litigation or interference proceedings initiated or threatened against it could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. We do not maintain insurance coverage for intellectual property claims nor have we established any reserves for potential intellectual property claims.

Hetnets may experience difficulties constructing, upgrading and maintaining its shared wireless infrastructure which could impair its ability to provide services to its customers and may reduce its revenues.

Hetnets’ success depends on developing and providing services that give customers access to high quality shared wireless infrastructure. If the number of customers using its shared wireless infrastructure increases, it may require more infrastructure and network resources to maintain the quality of its services. Consequently, it may be required to make substantial investments to improve its facilities and equipment, and to upgrade its technology and infrastructure. If Hetnets does not accomplish these objectives successfully, or experiences inefficiencies, operational failures or unforeseen costs, the quality of its shared wireless infrastructure could decline.

Hetnets may experience quality deficiencies, cost overruns and delays in implementing its shared wireless infrastructure, improvements and expansion and in maintenance and upgrade projects, including the portions of those projects not within its control or the control of its contractors. The development of shared wireless infrastructure may require securing permits and approvals from numerous governmental bodies including municipalities and zoning boards. Such bodies often limit the installation of rooftop and similar transmission equipment. Failure to receive approvals in a timely fashion can delay system rollouts and raise the cost of completing projects. In addition, Hetnets is required to obtain rights from building owners to install its equipment. We may not be able to obtain, on terms acceptable to us, or at all, the rights necessary to install, expand, upgrade or maintain our shared wireless infrastructure. A failure in any of these areas could materially and adversely affect Hetnets’ and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Hetnets relies on backhaul services from Towerstream's Fixed Wireless segment and others to support its shared wireless infrastructure.

Hetnets relies on the availability of backhaul services from Towerstream's Fixed Wireless segment and others to support its shared wireless infrastructure. Any delay or failure regarding the availability of backhaul services could have a material adverse effect on the operation of Hetnets’ or the costs incurred to operate its shared wireless infrastructure if it is required to obtain backhaul services from other providers or if such services otherwise are unavailable. This could have a material adverse effect on Hetnets’ and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Hetnets utilizes unlicensed spectrum which is subject to intense competition, low barriers of entry and slowdowns due to multiple users.

Hetnets’ shared wireless infrastructure presently utilizes unlicensed spectrum in all of its markets. Unlicensed or “free” spectrum is available to multiple users and may suffer bandwidth limitations, interference and slowdowns if the number of users exceeds traffic capacity. The availability of unlicensed spectrum is not unlimited and others do not need to obtain permits or licenses to utilize the same unlicensed spectrum that we currently utilize or may utilize in the future. The inherent limitations of unlicensed spectrum could potentially threaten our ability to reliably maintain our shared wireless infrastructure. Moreover, the prevalence of unlicensed spectrum creates low barriers of entry in our industry which naturally creates the potential for increased competition for network availability, which could have a material and adverse effect on Hetnets’ and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Regulation of the unlicensed spectrum used by Hetnets could have an adverse effect .

If the FCC or another governing agency determines to regulate the unlicensed spectrum that we presently use, then the additional regulations and costs could have a material adverse effect on Hetnets’ and our business, results of operations and financial condition.

      Interruption or failure of its shared wireless infrastructure systems could damage Hetnets’ reputation and adversely affect its operating results.

The business of Hetnets depends on the continuing operation of its shared wireless infrastructure systems with minimal interruptions of service. Hetnets may experience service interruptions or system failures in the future. Any service interruption could adversely affect its customers’ ability to operate their businesses and could result in their immediate loss of revenues. If Hetnets experiences frequent or persistent infrastructure failures, its reputation could be permanently harmed and customers may be reluctant to contract for access to its shared wireless infrastructure. Hetnets may need to make significant capital expenditures to increase the reliability of its shared wireless infrastructure and it may not have sufficient funds to cover such expenditures. This could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

A small number of customers could account for a significant percentage of Hetnets’ revenue.

Hetnets currently expects to depend upon a relatively small number of potential customers for a significant percentage of its revenue. As a result, its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected if (i) it loses one or more of its larger customers, (ii) such customers significantly reduce their business with Hetnets, (iii) these customers fail to make payments or delay making payments, or (iv) Hetnets chooses not to enforce, or to enforce less vigorously, any rights that it may have against these customers because of a desire to maintain its relationship with them.

Hetnets faces competition securing long term lease agreements for the rooftop space on which it operates its shared wireless infrastructure services.

Hetnets competes with numerous broadband, Wi-Fi, cellular, commercial and other wireless network operators, many of whom desire rooftop locations similar to ours in the same markets, as well as various other public and privately held companies that may provide rooftop utilization as part of a more expansive managed services offering. In addition, Hetnets may face competition from new entrants into the wireless network market. Some of Hetnets’ competitors may have significant advantages, including longer operating histories, lower operating costs, pre-existing relationships with current or potential landlords, greater financial, marketing and other resources, and access to less expensive power. These advantages could allow competitors to respond more quickly to strategic opportunities or changes in its industries or markets. If Hetnets is unable to compete effectively, it may lose existing or potential rooftop locations, incur costs to improve its locations or be forced to reduce the coverage of its shared wireless infrastructure.

Hetnets attempts to secure long term agreements with the owners of the buildings on which it constructs its shared wireless infrastructure.  These agreements are normally for an initial five year period with an option to renew for additional five year periods.   Upon expiration, building owners may elect to not renew their leases or renew their leases at higher rates, or for shorter terms. If Hetnets is unable to successfully extend these leases or secure other comparable space when such leases expire, its business, results of operations, and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Hetnets is susceptible to catastrophic weather, business or other localized events because its shared wireless infrastructure is presently located in a limited geographic area.

Hetnets' shared wireless infrastructure is presently located in just four metropolitan areas. Therefore, it is susceptible to a wide range of localized events which could cause immediate adverse effects on its business, results of operations, and financial condition.  These events could include weather events such as a hurricane, tornado, or blizzard which could render Hetnets unable to provide service for a period of time.  Other localized events which could adversely effect Hetnets includes union strikes that limit access to the rooftops on which its infrastructure is located as well as power outages in the markets in which Hetnets operates.  

Any failure of its shared wireless infrastructure could cause Hetnets to incur significant costs.

Hetnets’ business depends on providing highly reliable shared wireless infrastructure services to its customers. The physical infrastructure may fail for a number of reasons, including:

If, as a result of any of these events, or other similar events beyond its control there is an infrastructure failure, and it is not corrected immediately, Hetnets ultimately may suffer a loss of revenue which could materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Hetnets may have difficulty managing its growth.

Hetnets may rapidly and significantly expand if its initial network infrastructure generates customer demand. This would require it to increase significantly the number of its employees and, consequently, the entire size of Hetnets. Its growth may also significantly strain its management, operational and financial resources and systems. An inability to manage growth effectively or the increased strain on its management, resources and systems could materially adversely affect its business, results of operations, and financial condition.

Hetnets will require additional capital to fund its continued growth and such capital may not be available on commercially reasonable terms, or at all.

 The continued growth and operation of Hetnets will likely require additional funding for working capital, any required upgrade of its networks, the construction of additional infrastructure to expand coverage, and possible acquisitions. Such funding may not be available when needed in adequate amounts or on acceptable terms, if at all. We may issue additional equity securities in public or private offerings in order to execute Hetnets' business strategy.  

Any turbulence in the U.S. and other financial markets and economies may adversely affect Hetnets’ ability to access the capital markets to meet liquidity and capital expenditure requirements and may result in adverse effects on its business, results of operations, and financial condition. Our access to third-party sources of capital also depends, in part, on:

Additionally, Hetnets may raise capital independently of the Company, and potentially at a price lower than the market price or book value at the time of issuance. Any such issuances may result in substantial dilution to existing shareholders. Similarly, we may seek debt financing and may be forced to incur interest expense. If we cannot secure sufficient funding for Hetnets, we may be forced to forego strategic opportunities or delay, scale back or eliminate network deployments, operations, acquisitions, and other investments which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The loss of any of our key personnel devoted to Hetnets, including executive officers or key sales associates, could adversely affect Hetnets’ and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The success of Hetnets will continue to depend to a significant extent on its executive officers and key sales personnel. Each of its executive officers has a national or regional industry reputation that attracts business and investment opportunities. The loss of key sales personnel could hinder its ability to continue to benefit from existing and potential customers. We cannot provide any assurance that Hetnets will be able to retain its current executive officers or key sales personnel. The loss of any of these individuals could materially and adversely affect its and our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

    Hetnets operates in a rapidly evolving industry which makes it difficult to forecast its future prospects as its shared wireless infrastructure, or portions thereof, may become obsolete and it may not be able to develop replacement infrastructure on a timely basis or at all.

The wireless services industry is characterized by rapid technological change, competitive pricing, frequent new service introductions, and evolving industry standards and regulatory requirements. We believe that the success of Hetnets depends on its ability to anticipate and adapt to these challenges, and to offer competitive shared wireless infrastructure opportunities on a timely basis. We face a number of difficulties and uncertainties such as:

Risks Relating to the Wireless Industry

An economic or industry slowdown may materially and adversely affect our business.

Slowdowns in the economy or in the wireless or broadband industry may impact demand for our services.   Customers may reduce the amount of bandwidth that they purchase from us during economic downturns which will directly affect our revenues and operating results.  An economic or industry slowdown may cause other businesses or industries to delay or abandon implementation of new systems and technologies, including wireless broadband services. Further, political uncertainties, including acts of terrorism and other unforeseen events, may impose additional risks upon and adversely affect the wireless or broadband industry generally, and our business, specifically.

We operate in an evolving industry which makes it difficult to forecast our future prospects as our services may become obsolete and we may not be able to develop competitive products or services on a timely basis or at all. 

The broadband and wireless services industries are characterized by rapid technological change, competitive pricing, frequent new service introductions, and evolving industry standards and regulatory requirements. We believe that our success depends on our ability to anticipate and adapt to these challenges, and to offer competitive services on a timely basis. We face a number of difficulties and uncertainties such as:

As the services offered by us and our competitors develop, businesses and consumers may not accept our services as a commercially viable alternative to other means of delivering wireless broadband services. As a result, our services may become obsolete and we may be unable to develop competitive products or services on a timely basis, or at all.

We are subject to extensive regulation that could limit or restrict our activities.

Our business activities, including the acquisition, lease, maintenance and use of spectrum licenses, are extensively regulated by federal, state and local governmental authorities. A number of federal, state and local privacy, security, and consumer laws also apply to our business. These regulations and their application are subject to continuous change as new legislation, regulations or amendments to existing regulations are periodically implemented by governmental or regulatory authorities, including as a result of judicial interpretations of such laws and regulations. Current regulations directly affect the breadth of services we are able to offer and may impact the rates, terms and conditions of our services. Regulation of companies that offer competing services such as cable and DSL providers, and telecommunications carriers also affects our business. If we fail to comply with these regulations, we may be subject to penalties, both monetary and nonmonetary, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

We are currently not required to register with the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”) as a seller of telecommunications, nor are we required to collect Universal Service Fund (“USF”) fees from our customers or to pay USF fees directly.  In October 2011, the FCC adopted an Order dramatically changing the USF program.  In the next few months, the FCC is also expected to address USF contribution reform.  On February 26, 2015, the FCC adopted an Open Internet order in which fixed and mobile broadband services is reclassified as telecommunications services governed by Title II of the Communications Act. This reclassification includes forbearance from applying many sections of the Communications Act and the FCC’s rules to broadband service providers. As part of the Title II reclassification, the FCC could adopt new regulations requiring broadband service providers to register and pay USF fees as well as submit to a significant amount of other common carrier regulations.

The Open Internet order also adopted rules prohibiting broadband service providers from: (1) blocking access to legal content, applications, services or non-harmful devices; (2) impairing or degrading lawful Internet traffic on the basis, content, applications or services; or (3) favoring certain Internet traffic over other traffic in exchange for consideration. Depending on how the Open Internet rules are implemented, the Open Internet order could limit our ability to manage customers’ use of our networks, thereby limiting our ability to prevent or address customers’ excessive bandwidth demands. To maintain the quality of our network and user experience, we may manage the bandwidth used by our customers’ applications, in part by restricting the types of applications that may be used over our network. The FCC Open Internet regulations may constrain our ability to employ bandwidth management practices. Excessive use of bandwidth-intensive applications would likely reduce the quality of our services for all customers. Such decline in the quality of our services could harm our business.

The breach of a license or applicable law, even if accidentally, can result in the revocation, suspension, cancellation or reduction in the term of a license or the imposition of fines. In addition, regulatory authorities may grant new licenses to third parties, resulting in greater competition in territories where we already have rights to licensed spectrum. In order to promote competition, licenses may also require that third parties be granted access to our bandwidth, frequency capacity, facilities or services. We may not be able to obtain or retain any required license, and we may not be able to renew a license on favorable terms, or at all.

Wireless broadband services may become subject to greater state or federal regulation in the future. The scope of the regulations that may apply to companies like us and the impact of such regulations on our competitive position are presently unknown and could be detrimental to our business and prospects.

 Risks Related to Our Indebtedness

Our cash flows and capital resources may be insufficient to make required payments on our indebtedness and future indebtedness.

In addition, our ability to make scheduled payments or refinance our obligations depends on our successful financial and operating performance, cash flows and capital resources, which in turn depend upon prevailing economic conditions and certain financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include, among others:

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell material assets or operations, obtain additional capital or restructure our debt. In the event that we are required to dispose of material assets or operations to meet our debt service and other obligations, the value realized on such assets or operations will depend on market conditions and the availability of buyers. Accordingly, any such sale may not, among other things, be for a sufficient dollar amount. Our obligations pursuant to our long-term debt agreement are secured by a security interest in all of our assets, exclusive of capital stock of the Company, certain capital leases, certain contracts and certain assets secured by purchase money security interests. The foregoing encumbrances may limit our ability to dispose of material assets or operations. We also may not be able to restructure our indebtedness on favorable economic terms, if at all.

Our long-term debt agreement contains various covenants limiting the discretion of our management in operating our business.

Our long-term debt agreement contains, subject to certain carve-outs, various restrictive covenants that limit our management's discretion in operating our business. In particular, these instruments limit our ability to, among other things:

If we fail to comply with the restrictions in our long-term debt agreement, a default may allow the lender under the relevant instruments to accelerate the related debt and to exercise their remedies under these agreements, which will typically include the right to declare the principal amount of that debt, together with accrued and unpaid interest and other related amounts, immediately due and payable, to exercise any remedies the lender may have to foreclose on assets that are subject to liens securing that debt and to terminate any commitments they had made to supply further funds. The long-term debt agreement governing our indebtedness also contains various covenants that may limit our ability to pay dividends.

Risks Relating to Our Organization

Our certificate of incorporation allows for our board of directors to create new series of preferred stock without further approval by our stockholders which could adversely affect the rights of the holders of our common stock.

Our board of directors has the authority to fix and determine the relative rights and preferences of preferred stock. Our board of directors also has the authority to issue preferred stock without further stockholder approval. As a result, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that would grant to such holders (i) the preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, (ii) the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of common stock and (iii) the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our common stock. In addition, our board of directors could authorize the issuance of a series of preferred stock that has greater voting power than our common stock or that is convertible into our common stock, which could decrease the relative voting power of our common stock or result in dilution to our existing common stockholders.

Any of the actions described in the preceding paragraph could significantly adversely affect the investment made by holders of our common stock. Holders of common stock could potentially not receive dividends that they might otherwise have received. In addition, holders of our common stock could receive less proceeds in connection with any future sale of the Company, whether in liquidation or on any other basis.

Our officers and directors own a substantial amount of our common stock and, therefore, exercise significant control over our corporate governance and affairs which may result in their taking actions with which other shareholders do not agree.

Our executive officers and directors, and entities affiliated with them, control approximately 10% of our outstanding common stock (including shares of common stock underlying exercisable stock options). These shareholders, if they act together, may be able to exercise substantial influence over the outcome of all corporate actions requiring approval of our shareholders, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions, which may result in corporate action with which other shareholders do not agree. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control which might be in other shareholders’ best interest but which might negatively affect the market price of our common stock.

  We are subject to extensive financial reporting and related requirements for which our accounting and other management systems and resources may not be adequately prepared.

We are subject to reporting and other obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Section 404 requires us to conduct an annual management assessment of the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting. These reporting and other obligations place significant demands on our management, administrative, operational and accounting resources. In order to maintain compliance with these requirements, we may need to (i) upgrade our systems, (ii) implement additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures, (iii) implement an internal audit function, and (iv) hire additional accounting, internal audit and finance staff. If we are unable to accomplish these objectives in a timely and effective manner, our ability to comply with our financial reporting requirements and other rules that apply to reporting companies could be impaired. Any failure to maintain effective internal controls could have a negative impact on our ability to manage our business and on our stock price.

We may be at risk to accurately report financial results or detect fraud if we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls.

As directed by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the SEC adopted rules requiring public companies to include a report that contains an assessment by management on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting in their annual and quarterly reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q. While we are consistently working on improvements and conducting rigorous reviews of our internal controls over financial reporting, our independent auditors may interpret Section 404 requirements and apply related rules and regulations differently. If our independent auditors are not satisfied with our internal control over financial reporting or with the level at which it is documented, operated or reviewed, they may decline to accept management’s assessment and not provide an attestation report on our internal control over financial reporting. Additionally, if we are not able to meet all the requirements of Section 404 in a timely manner or with adequate compliance, we might be subject to sanctions or investigation by regulatory authorities such as the SEC.

We cannot assure you that significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in our disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting will not be identified in the future. Also, future changes in our accounting, financial reporting, and regulatory environment may create new areas of risk exposure. Failure to modify our existing control environment accordingly may impair our controls over financial reporting and cause our investors to lose confidence in the reliability of our financial reporting which may adversely affect our stock price.

Risks Relating to Our Common Stock

We may fail to qualify for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market which could make it more difficult for investors to sell their shares.

In May 2007, our common stock was approved for listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market and our common stock continues to be listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market. There can be no assurance that trading of our common stock will be sustained or that we can meet NASDAQ’s continued listing standards. In the event that our common stock fails to qualify for continued listing, our common stock could thereafter only be quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board or the “pink sheets.” Under such circumstances, shareholders may find it more difficult to sell, or to obtain accurate quotations, for our common stock, and our common stock would become substantially less attractive to certain purchasers such as financial institutions, hedge funds and other similar investors.

Our common stock may be affected by limited trading volume and price fluctuations which could adversely impact the value of our common stock.

While there has been relatively active trading in our common stock over the past twelve months, there can be no assurance that an active trading market in our common stock will be maintained. Our common stock has experienced, and is likely to experience in the future, significant price and volume fluctuations which could adversely affect the market price of our common stock without regard to our operating performance. In addition, we believe that factors such as quarterly fluctuations in our financial results and changes in the overall economy or the condition of the financial markets could cause the price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially. These fluctuations may also cause short sellers to periodically enter the market in the belief that we will have poor results in the future. We cannot predict the actions of market participants and, therefore, can offer no assurances that the market for our common stock will be stable or appreciate over time.

We have not paid dividends in the past and do not expect to pay dividends in the future. Any return on an investment in our common stock is expected to be limited to an increase in the value of the common stock.

We have never paid cash dividends on our common stock and do not anticipate doing so in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our common stock will depend on our earnings, financial condition, and other business and economic factors as our board of directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our common stock may be considered less valuable because a return on a shareholder’s investment will only occur if our stock price appreciates.

We adopted a Rights Plan in 2010 which may discourage third parties from attempting to acquire control of our company and have an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

In November 2010, we adopted a rights plan (the “Rights Plan”) and declared a dividend distribution of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of common stock as of the record date on November 14, 2010. Each right, when exercisable, entitles the registered holder to purchase one-hundredth (1/100 th ) of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per shares of the Company at a purchase price of $18.00 per one-hundredth (1/100 th ) of a share of the Series A Preferred Stock, subject to certain adjustments. The rights will generally separate from the common stock and become exercisable if any person or group acquires or announces a tender offer to acquire 15% or more of our outstanding common stock without the consent of our board of directors. Because the rights may substantially dilute the stock ownership of a person or group attempting to take us over without the approval of our board of directors, our Rights Plan could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us (or a significant percentage of our outstanding capital stock) without first negotiating with our board of directors. In addition, we are governed by provisions of Delaware law that may prohibit large stockholders, in particular those owning 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock, from merging or combining with us.

The provisions in our charter, bylaws, Rights Plan and under Delaware law related to the foregoing could discourage takeover attempts that our stockholders would otherwise favor, or otherwise reduce the price that investors might be willing to pay for our common stock in the future.