You can hear the whistlings, cheers, and screams from afar. You can see the swags and colorful shirts. The teens are selling lemonade and cookies along the way. You can perceive the aroma from the many barbecue grills. Parents and kids are walking to the arena with excitement. The young and old are elated. You can see the heart and soul of the town come alive. You can feel the pride and vibe of unity in the community.
The Communications Coalition of Kansas (CCK) is an organization of Rural Local Exchange Carriers (RLECs) that carry broadband through hundreds of miles, across dozens of communities, as well as to agricultural, educational, governmental, and healthcare institutions. In short, CCK members form the backbone of high-speed connectivity for the most rural economies of Kansas. CCK members serve 50% of the state’s geographic area, 104 out of the state’s 105 counties, and about 15% of households. Nex-Tech is a member of the CCK. Every year, we join other CCK members to visit the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka and engage with legislators.
The City of WaKeeney is located in Trego County in the northwest region of Kansas. Nex-Tech has been serving the residents and businesses of WaKeeney with fiber broadband for many years.
For over 80 years, the Universal Service Fund (USF) has helped rural communications providers like Nex-Tech and others in western Kansas to provide and maintain connectivity to many of our rural towns. Simply put, Nex-Tech and perhaps your local broadband company may not be able to construct or maintain broadband networks without this federal fund. However, recent events at the federal level have raised controversial questions about the fund, and it is now necessary to shed more light on this with our community stakeholders.
The City of Morland is located in Graham County in the northwest region of Kansas. Nex-Tech has been serving the people of Morland with fiber broadband for many years. I recently had a great time visiting Morland and engaging with the city council on ways to work together to enhance the quality of life in the city.
As a company, we are grateful to be able to serve so many families and businesses across Kansas and beyond. We are humbled that some of these opportunities can mark the beginning of a career for a young person and set them up for success many years from now.
There is a new ‘cool’ grant out there from the Kansas Department of Commerce (KDOC), called the Towns Grant. See all the details on the grant page: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/towns/
For many years, we have taken steps to support the training and mentoring of young people who are entering the broadband and technology industry. We have done this through internships, sponsorships, scholarships, and lots more.
At Nex-Tech, we are a big believer in rural America. We serve rural America with services from Home/Business Broadband Services to TV Now, Managed IT and Cloud to Business Communications Infrastructure, Creative Solutions to Physical Security Solutions, and Cybersecurity to our NOC and Carrier Services; not forgetting our youth services, donations, sponsorships, and giveaways to members of our community.
Nex-Tech is a member of the NTCA, the Rural Broadband Association. Through the NTCA, we can collaborate, draw inspiration, and access innovation alongside other rural broadband providers nationwide.