Cookie Truck, Santa and Internet Freedom - IdeaTek Celebrates Fiber Coming to Garden City

GARDEN CITY, Kansas – Super-fast fiber internet service will soon be available to thousands of Garden City families and businesses, thanks to IdeaTek. 

The Buhler-based internet company began construction in Garden City earlier this fall, promising unlimited and uncapped speeds of up to 2.5 gigabits per second. Some areas of the city are expected to be connected by the end of 2023, and residents can secure their spot by signing up at hookmeup.ideatek.com.

IdeaTek’s investment will inject over $5 million into the local economy and provide connectivity for more than 6,000 homes and businesses.

“At IdeaTek, we’re committed to bringing high-speed fiber internet to every corner of Kansas, and we’re excited to make it a reality in Garden City,” said Daniel Friesen, IdeaTek’s co-founder and chief innovation officer. “Our long-term goal is to provide fiber to as many residents as we can because fiber is hands-down the best technology for high-speed broadband.” 

To celebrate the arrival of fiber-optic internet in Garden City, IdeaTek is hosting a special cookie truck event from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17 in the Kohl’s parking lot (2310 E Kansas Ave). Everyone who stops by will receive a complimentary cookie from Chunky Chet’s cookie truck. Those who sign up for IdeaTek’s fiber-optic internet service will also get a free cup of cookies. Santa Claus will also make a special appearance from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Garden City

Garden City is one of Kansas’ fastest-growing cities, but its current providers haven’t invested in advanced fiber technology. IdeaTek aims to bridge this gap and deliver a faster, more reliable internet experience. Only fiber is robust enough to support the symmetrical upload and download speeds needed for remote work, education, and healthcare.

Friesen added it will take about two years to build out the entire city. Residents can stay up-to-date on the build by signing up at ideatek.com. 

Building fiber takes time, but soon residents can look forward to:

• Symmetrical upload and download speeds
• Unlimited data
• No throttling, interruptions or lag time
• No annual contracts
• Friendly, Kansas-based customer service

IdeaTek has been serving the Garden City area for several years, including providing fiber connectivity to all of Finney County’s government buildings. More recently, IdeaTek secured a Capital Project Fund Grant, enabling the construction of 400 miles of fiber to connect farms, feedlots, and rural residents along the U.S. 83 Highway corridor from Liberal to Scott City, with contributions from the Finney County Commission.

“The expansion of fiber internet services is vital to the success of our local economy,” said Myca Bunch, president of the Garden City Area Chamber of Commerce. “We appreciate IdeaTek recognizing the need for enhanced connectivity and making the investment in southwest Kansas.”

IdeaTek was founded in 1999 by Friesen and four high school friends. Today, the company employs over 150 Kansans and is continuing to grow. IdeaTek has deployed more than 4,500 miles of fiber and built 150 fixed wireless towers, serving customers in nearly 100 Kansas communities. 

To see if your home is in IdeaTek’s residential build or to sign up for service, visit hookmeup.ideatek.com.