One of the first telecom providers in Iowa to provide Internet speeds of 1 Gbps, Kalona Cooperative Technology Co. (KCTC; Kalona, Iowa) completed its fiber-to-the-home build in 2010 for its entire incumbent serving territory, delivering broadband services to rural farms and homes that rival any urban area.
It was not an easy feat.
KCTC is located near several Amish communities that do not use electricity, which is necessary to power a fiber optic network. To overcome this challenge, KCTC sought an innovative solution by working with a local electric coop to install solar panels on shared phone booths to power the hardware and provide vital communications tools to surrounding communities.
To help rural farmers and homeowners outside of its service territory, KCTC provides Internet services through fixed wireless equipment made possible by a partnership with another local telco, Liberty Communications. KCTC also is using its fiber network to expand operations into the neighboring town of Washington, which has an aging network that has left residents and businesses in dire need of better service.
"KCTC felt we were uniquely positioned to meet the demands not only for broadband, but the community-minded services and responsiveness that we’ve built our reputation on," the telco said in its Smart Rural Community Showcase Award application.
Thanks to the powerful network it has built and a company culture that supports collaboration and challenging one another to find new technology solutions, KCTC also offers its customers in-house tech support and scheduled maintenance services to meet the challenges of digital life without having to drive. Local schools in the Mid-Prairie School District have benefitted greatly, as well, as KCTC’s broadband has allowed students to embrace a STEM curriculum called “Project Lead the Way” and Internet-connected devices have replaced traditional text books.
