In the cold winter of 2023, our team received some heartwarming news from the state. The announcement was made that Nex-Tech would receive a Capital Project Fund (CPF) grant to extend its fiber network to the people of rural Decatur County. Nex-Tech would also co-invest over $900,000 to match the grant. This news meant that families, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and anyone who chose to live in rural Decatur County could now be connected with a state-of-the-art fiber optic broadband network. This meant that businesses like Heartland Veterinary (click to see video testimonial) could now get reliable broadband with gigabit speeds. Since then, our construction teams have been working hard to ensure that this opportunity becomes a reality.

As is typical with Nex-Tech, we don’t just do business in rural Kansas. We are engaged in the community as responsible development partners. We donate to projects, we sponsor events, we offer loans and grants to the community, we attend stakeholder meetings, and we advocate for what will enhance the quality of life in the community. With that in mind, earlier this summer, I visited with Decatur County leaders at the County Courthouse in Oberlin to share updates about the project, our expansion into Oberlin town, and to pass on some relevant community economic development resources that would benefit the citizens. We had some very useful discussions. I loved the time I spent listening to them and hearing what was happening around the area, and how Nex-Tech could potentially help.

The project to connect rural Decatur County was completed this year. We marked the completion with a visit by the state’s broadband office. It was fun to be part of the field exercise. But more, it was fulfilling to imagine the possibilities that would unfold in the area in the years ahead, as technology and innovation powered by fiber broadband continue to become mainstream.

Do check out a vlog on the visit below!