In September, Nex-Tech announced its intentions to bring fiber to households and additional businesses in Great Bend. Nex-Tech has already built fiber to USD 428 and dozens of businesses. The proposed fiber expansion brings many benefits to Great Bend. Jimmy Todd, Chief Executive Officer of Nex-Tech said “Our mission is to provide state-of-the-art services to Kansans and level the playing field for rural America. Access to Gig Internet provides opportunities for telemedicine, supports a work-fromhome lifestyle, recruits and retains business and prepares Great Bend for the future.”

 

Nex-Tech has been providing fiber service for nearly 25 years and was the first company in the nation to build fiber to the home when they brought fiber services to Hill City in 1996. Now, more than 60 Kansas communities are powered by Nex-Tech fiber.

 

Ryan Axman, Director of I.T. for USD 428, has Nex-Tech fiber services at home and work. Said Axman, “Before, the only options were Cox or Dish and getting a technician to come out to our location was virtually impossible. Nex-Tech treats us like it’s their hometown. Having a local company that you can go in and talk to and having technicians that live and work in the area and come to your house to take care of things is a big deal for me. The customer service and technical service has been really nice.

 

Nex-Tech is still gathering interest from the other 12 zones in Great Bend. Zone A, Twin Lakes Neighborhood, is in the lead in the interest phase. Each neighborhood that meets the required number of customers to achieve feasibility will be prioritized in the buildout process. Neighborhoods with lower interest levels may be served with a hybrid wireless Internet solution instead of fiber.

 

For more information on Nex-Tech’s fiber expansion in Great Bend, to show your interest and view the progress, visit fiber.nex-tech.com or stop by the local Nex-Tech store at 3700 10th Street.

 

Increased Internet speeds provide many benefits to residences and businesses. It allows the transfer of very large files over the Internet, like medical images or multimedia programming. A fiber infrastructure also levels the playing field for small, rural communities to compete with larger, urban areas for business growth, expansion and economic development.

 

William E. Mathews, III, Managing Director, Cordell Division, explains the benefits of Nex-Tech’s investment. “We are incredibly proud and excited to be joining the Nex-Tech team and share their dedication to creating value and providing meaningful solutions to our industry. Cordell is proud of its 40-year history and having the opportunity to build upon our legacy with a company that shares our values and commitment to providing robust, reliable network solutions.

 

“Nex-Tech has long been a Cordell approved partner,” stated Jimmy Todd, Nex-Tech’s Chief Executive Officer. “Both companies provide innovative products and support them like no other. By continuing to offer the full suite of Cordell products, the Nex-Tech carrier division will be able to further enhance its service offerings. We are also delighted to add the decades of experience and expertise the Cordell leadership and employees will bring.”

 

The Cordell headquarters and employees will remain in La Verne, California, for the near future and will operate as Cordell, a Division of Nex-Tech.

 

About Cordell
Cordell, a leading provider of network solutions for alarms management, engineering and network operational management, provides contact, analog and environmental monitoring and controls to over 80 network control and traffic centers and 10,000 field units nationwide. Headquartered in La Verne, California, Cordell is celebrating 40 years of supporting the telecommunication industry.

 

Every year, MSPs worldwide complete an extensive survey and application process where applicants report product offerings, growth rates, annual total and recurring revenues, pricing structures, and revenue mix. The MSP ranking methodology attributes weight to a company’s ability to align business strategy with trends in the ever-evolving channel ecosystem.

 

“Evolution with an eye on the future is not a new concept for Nex-Tech. Beginning with simple telephone service over 60 years ago, Nex-Tech continues to provide state-of-the-art services to its customers, said Jimmy Todd, CEO and General Manager. “With an eye toward the future, we remain focused on building the necessary infrastructure alongside the associated technologies necessary for co-existence in a global community.”

 

In the 12 years since its inception, the MSP 501 has evolved from a competitive ranking list to a dynamic interface between service providers, vendors, distributors, consultants and industry analysts working together to define growing managed service opportunities.

 

“The 2019 MSP 501 winners are the most elite, innovative and strategic IT service providers on the planet, and they stand as a model of excellence in the industry,” says Kris Blackmon, Content Director of Channel Partners and Channel Futures and lead of the MSP 501 program.

 

An added benefit to the MSP 501 ranking is the creation of an annual in-depth study of business and technology trends in the IT channel, released each year at the Channel Partners Evolution conference. The full MSP 501 Report leverages applicant responses, interviews with industry experts and historical data to give a well-rounded picture of the managed services opportunity.

 

The complete 2019 MSP 501 list is available here: https://www.channelfutures.com/msp-501/channel-futures-reveals-2019-msp-501.

 

Background
The 2019 MSP 501 list is based on data collected by Channel Futures and its sister site, Channel Partners. Data was collected online from March 1 through May 31, 2019. The MSP 501 list recognizes top managed service providers based on metrics including recurring revenue, growth and other factors.

 

Background
The 2018 MSP 501 list is based on data collected by Channel Futures and its sister site, Channel Partners. Data was collected online from Feb. 28 through May 31, 2018. The MSP 501 list recognizes top managed service providers based on metrics including recurring revenue, growth and other factors.

 

About Informa Tech
Channel Futures, Channel Partners Online, Channel Partners Conference & Expo and Channel Partners Evolution are part of Informa Tech, a market-leading B2B information provider with depth and specialization in the Information and Communications (ICT) Technology sector. We help drive the future by inspiring the Technology community to design, build and run a better digital world through our market-leading research, media, training and event brands. Every year, we welcome 7,400+ subscribers to our research, more than 3.8 million unique visitors a month to our digital communities, 18,200+ students to our training programs and 225,000 delegates to our events.

 

MEDIA CONTACT:
Kris Blackmon,
Content Director, Channel Futures & Channel Partners
Senior Editor, MSP 501
Kris.Blackmon@Informa.com

 

About Informa
Channel Futures, Channel Partners Online, Channel Partners Conference & Expo and Channel Partners Evolution are part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster. Informa has over 10,000 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

 

Increased Internet speeds provide many benefits to residences and businesses. It allows the transfer of very large files over the Internet, like medical images or multimedia programming. A fiber infrastructure also levels the playing field for small, rural communities to compete with larger, urban areas for business growth, expansion and economic development.

 

The Nex-Tech Great Bend residential expansion continues a long-planned build, coming on the heels of extending fiber facilities to seven Great Bend schools, the district office, maintenance shop and food service center, alongside the completion of a sizable build to area businesses. The residential build completion will roll out in phases. Each neighborhood that meets the required number of customers to achieve feasibility will be prioritized in the buildout process. Neighborhoods with lower interest levels may be served with a hybrid wireless Internet solution instead of fiber. The project is estimated to take five years to complete.

 

“Nex-Tech expansion plans are driven in large part by our commitment to making connectivity an integral part of rural America,” says Dustin Schlaefli, Director of Customer Engagement. “That said, it’s an expensive proposition, so when we build, it is with an eye to the future. We know that a 10 Mbps connection is no longer enough for the average household and demand will continue to increase as technology advances.”

 

For more information on Nex-Tech’s fiber expansion in Great Bend, please visit fiber.nex-tech.com or you may stop by our store. Residents can show their interest in bringing service to their neighborhood. The web site tracks the interest level per zone and shows the progress. When the required level of interest is reached in a zone, the zone will then be converted to the sign-up phase, and customers that have showed interest will then be asked to select and commit to services.

 

Nex-Tech, a technology service provider in Great Bend since 2002, maintains a local office at 3700 10th Street. In addition to providing phone, Internet, Nex-Tech Wireless and business technology services, the Internet expansion will allow Nex-Tech to deliver TV Now service as well, providing a new option for TV service to Great Bend residents. Nex-Tech currently offers fiber service in nearly 60 communities throughout Kansas and was the first company in the nation to bring fiber to the home.

 

Featured speakers were:

 

Dave Kinsey, President of Total Networks, spoke about his book, The Blockchain Code: Decrypt the Jungle of Complexity to Win the Crypto-Anarchy Game, describing blockchain, cryptocurrency and the impact technology-based currency structure has on society.

 

Mark Matthews, ATG CEO, (Bromsgrove, England) focused on corporate culture, defining exactly how his dedication to empowering employees was key toward realizing record and sustainable growth at his award-winning IT company.

 

“Nex-Tech provides the latest and best-performing technologies to rural America,” said Jimmy Todd, Nex-Tech CEO and General Manager. “Tech Edge is a place where the brightest minds in business converge to discuss and explore cutting-edge technology, ultimately defining for themselves the best ways to incorporate it into their own businesses.”

 

Throughout the day, 27 breakout sessions and 26 vendors representing 14 national manufacturers kept attendees engaged. The day ended with Prize-A-Palooza excitement as randomly selected attendees won over $11,000 in tech-savvy gadgets.

 

“The amount of value a person gets from this $75 conference is phenomenal. It doesn’t matter what business you are in, or how involved you are with technology, you will take home something essential to moving your business forward, said Steve Riat, Director of Sales, Nex-Tech. “Add a reminder to your calendar for 2020! Planning for the 7th annual Tech Edge is already in the works.”

 

“Internet access is important to every person in America, whether living in a large city, or living on a rural farm, producing food for the nation. All consumers deserve the bandwidth necessary to deliver educational opportunities, telemedicine care, work from home opportunities and we need more markets that can support business growth and development,” said Jimmy Todd, CEO/General Manager of Nex-Tech, a rural telecommunications cooperative in Kansas.

 

The six independent telecoms that joined to write the RBNA Act, EATEL, SilverStar, Nex-Tech, Smithville, Totah and Chickasaw, recognized that the current USF funding support is capped while Internet usage continues to increase and the funding reform has failed to recognize the increasing data usage. Edge providers, specificially over the top video providers, are the biggest impact on network usage today. These providers utilize rural broadband networks without paying any transit fee and the ever-increasing capacity leads to network investments and upgrades by the rural broadband providers. “It is essential to address how the level of rural broadband infrastructure investments can continue to support the ever-increasing data growth. Companies, like Netflix and Amazon Video, use the networks of these rural telecoms daily for free, profit from their usage, yet pay none of the necessary infrastructure upgrades or upkeep costs of these networks,” explained Rhonda Goddard, Chief Financial Officer of Nex-Tech.

 

The RBNA Act establishes a new program at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would collect Network User Fees from edge providers such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video, based on the data transported over the last mile of networks. User fees would then be invested by the rural broadband providers to help build, maintain and operate robust broadband networks in high cost rural areas. All rural broadband providers would be eligible for the program if they provide broadband access in high cost rural areas to fewer than 100,000 customers within a state and provide the speeds required by the FCC.

 

Tiffany Pfeifer, Thomas More Prep-Marian High School. Tiffany is the daughter of Gerald and Marcia Pfeifer of Hays. Her career goal is to teach high school math. Tiffany will attend Kansas State University to earn a dual major in Secondary Education and Math.

 

Ethan Lang, Thomas More Prep-Marian High School. Ethan is the son of Greg and LaNae Lang of Hays. Ethan is fascinated with finance and wants to become a Certified Financial Planner. He will attend Fort Hays State University studying finance in pursuit of his career goal.

 

Eli Reling, Quinter Junior/Senior High School. Eli is the son of Jessica Reling, Quinter and Daniel Reling, Topeka. Eli will attend Cloud County Community College and transfer to Kansas State University to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree.

 

Kourtney Davidson, Quinter Junior/Senior High School. Kourtney is the daughter of Darrin and Amy Davidson, Park. Kourtney will attend Fort Hays State University to pursue a Business Management degree. Her goal after college is to own and operate a hair salon with her sisters.

 

Keaton Schlaefli, Hays High School. Keaton is the son of Dustin and Kristy Schlaefli of Hays. Keaton’s chosen career is Diesel Mechanics. He will attend NCK Tech, Beloit Campus, enrolling in the Diesel Technology program.

 

Ashlyn Windholz, Victoria High School. Ashlyn is the daughter of Jared and Andrea Windholz of Victoria. Ashlyn’s career goal is to become a Nurse specializing in Pediatrics. She will begin her studies for two years at the University of Kansas and apply her sophomore year to the University’s School of Nursing in Kansas City.

 

Ricole Blecha, Northern Valley High School. Ricole is the daughter of Lisa Brown, Long Island and Robert Blecha, Garfield. Ricole has a great love for animals and aspires to be a Veterinarian. She will begin her studies at Hastings College and hopes to transfer to Kansas State University.

 

Dylen Trecek, Trecek Academy. Dylen is the son of Troy and Marla Trecek, Alton. Dylen’s love for engineering, especially robotics has led him to pursue a Mechatronics degree at Wichita State University. Focusing on Robotic Engineering, Dylen wants to help people with physical disabilities. His studies will begin at Cloud County Community College for one year to obtain a Pre-Engineering degree.

 

Sienna Wingerson, Smith Center Junior/Senior High School. Sienna is the daughter of Steve and Annette Wingerson of Smith Center. Sienna will attend Kansas State University majoring in Marketing with a minor in Journalism and Mass Communications. Her future goal is to become a multi-media manager for a rural Kansas business.

 

Kallie Leiker, Hays High School. Kallie is the daughter of Corey and Kenda Leiker of Hays. Kallie aspires to become a Pharmacist. She will attend Fort Hays State University to obtain a Pre-Pharmacy degree, then transfer to the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy to earn her Doctorate.

 

Digital Marketing Specialists Aubree Broyles of Hays and Daniel Schwindt of McPherson are the Nex-Tech employees that maintain certification in Google Ads. They, along with a talented team of marketing specialists, web designers, audio and video production specialists and graphic designers, provide expert Google Ads services and wide variety of digital, design, web, social media and consulting services to nearly 100 businesses throughout the United States.

 

“This recognition from Google proves that even though we live in a rural area, we’re keeping pace with technology experts around the world and bringing powerful advertising tools to our local businesses,” said Broyles.

 

Schwindt added, “It’s really an honor to be trusted by so many clients to manage these complex campaigns and influence the digital presence of their businesses.”

 

The remodels are already underway. The Russell building will be the new home for thirteen Russell-based employees in a variety of departments, including Customer Sales, Technology Services, Field Operations and Business Services. The Osborne building will house three Osborne-based employees.

 

When a move date is confirmed, Nex-Tech will notify its customers.