In November, IdeaTek constructed new towers in the communities of Nickerson, Hesston, Moundridge, Cheney, Kingman, Varner, Dodge City, Liberal, Mullinville and Haviland. Equipment off a grain elevator on West Fourth Avenue will help the company cover a portion of Hutchinson.

These projects bring faster, more reliable service to rural homes, businesses, educational facilities and enterprises. The expansion furthers the company’s mission of providing internet freedom for Kansas communities, said Daniel Friesen, IdeaTek’s Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer.

“We are extremely excited for the opportunities these much-needed broadband investments will bring area residents,” he said. “We believe all Kansans should have the freedom to choose reliable, unlimited internet, and we look forward to becoming an integral part of the future growth in all of our new communities.”

IdeaTek’s wireless product, AirLight, delivers speeds of up to 150 Mbps. It was developed as a temporary solution for remote areas. However, IdeaTek’s ultimate goal is to connect every home in Kansas with high-speed, affordable fiber-optic internet. Investment in fiber is a scalable solution for Kansas’ future growth, Friesen said. “Our mission is to build to the standards of the future, not today.”

Based in Buhler, IdeaTek was founded by Friesen and four high school friends in 1999. Today, the company employs over 120 Kansans and is continuing to grow. The team is dedicated to the mission of connecting underserved communities with affordable high-speed internet.

To date, IdeaTek has deployed more than 3,600 miles of fiber — plus built more than 100 fixed wireless towers — serving customers in over 50 Kansas communities.

For more information about IdeaTek and its services, visit ideatek.com.

About IdeaTek Telcom
IdeaTek Telcom, LLC, is a Buhler, Kansas-based broadband service provider with the mission of “fighting for internet freedom.” IdeaTek uses a unique and innovative approach to deploy scalable long-term fiber optic infrastructures, bridging the broadband gap in rural communities. The company has already successfully built over 3,600 miles of fiber throughout Kansas. IdeaTek has long been at the forefront on broadband equity issues and is committed to enriching the communities in which they operate. They were recently named to Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing companies for the eighth time.