As 2023 draws to a close, we find ourselves in a moment of reflection, grateful for all we've been able to accomplish over the past year. It's been another year of growth and success here at WTC, which is a testament to the dedication of our outstanding team and the unwavering support of our valued customers. Our involvement in the vibrant communities we're a part of fills us with immense pride.

Now, let's revisit some of the standout moments from this remarkable year.

10,000 Customers

This year presented an opportunity for us to surpass an important industry milestone. We were fortunate enough to do so In late September, as we surpassed 10,000 Fiber customers! We’re extremely proud to provide local, reliable Fiber service to 10,000 homes and businesses throughout the area.

Grant Opportunities

After receiving a grant from the State of Kansas in late 2022 as part of their Capital Project Fund, our construction crews got to work deploying Fiber to rural areas of Riley, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, and Geary counties. The first residential & business customers in this grant area were connected in June, and many more have been connected since!

In late-November 2023, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly delivered some more exciting news. The Kansas Department of Commerce and Office of Broadband Development announced WTC as a recipient of two separate grants - one through the Broadband Acceleration Grant (BAG) program, and another through the Lasting Infrastructure and Network Connectivity (LINC).

These grants allow a small local provider like WTC to take reliable broadband to rural areas, which would not be feasible without the gracious support from the State of Kansas. A huge THANK YOU to the State of Kansas for allowing a local company like WTC to play a part in bridging the digital divide.

Manhattan Developments

2023 brought the first residential Fiber connections in Manhattan. Since June, over half the homes in the Grand Mere development have taken advantage of fast Fiber Internet from a local company.

More exciting developments were made in Manhattan, as we began Fiber construction to residential neighborhoods to the east of K-State campus and as far south as Poyntz Avenue. As of late-December, more and more Manhattan residents in these areas are enjoying the benefits of WTC Fiber in their homes!

Fiberside Chats

In October, we launched an exciting new video series called the WTC Fiberside Chats. These chats are a fun way to get to know our team and learn about company news. The services we offer rely on complex technology, so our Fiberside Chats will also serve as a platform for our team to elaborate on these intricate processes. The first two episodes were published in 2023, and we look forward to bringing you more Fiberside Chats in 2024!

Lake Elbo

Yet another community gained access to fast Fiber Internet, as we announced plans to build Fiber to Lake Elbo, a small lake community northeast of Manhattan. After asking the community to reach a 70% pre-sign up goal before construction could begin, Lake Elbo came together and met the 70% goal in just three weeks! We’re excited to provide reliable service at Lake Elbo for years to come.

Free Wi-Fi in Downtown Manhattan

We were thrilled to give Downtown Manhattan a new level of connectivity by equipping the district with Free Wi-Fi. Visitors to the district can connect to our reliable network and stay online while dining, shopping, or relaxing on Poyntz Avenue. This WTC Free Wi-Fi location joins our list of over 30 hotspots throughout our service area.

Sponsorships

It is our mission to be a good corporate citizen in the communities we serve. In 2023, we held to that core value by giving back to nearly 100 various organizations throughout the area. We are grateful to be able to give back to the communities that support us, and will continue to make this a top priority into the future.

Aggieville Mural

In April, we began our search for an artist to create a mural in Aggieville. After reviewing work from tons of amazing artists, the winning artist created a beautiful mural that gleams with Wildcat pride. The mural can be found on Moro Street in Manhattan, between Johnny Kaw's and Jimmy John's, and has become a prime photo backdrop in Aggieville.

Fiber Gaming Network

As our 100% Fiber network is the perfect complement to online gaming, we sought to provide more competitive esports opportunities for our customers by partnering with Fiber Gaming Network. This platform allows WTC Fiber customers to utilize their high-speed Internet even further by gaming online for real prizes!

Social Media Giveaways

We’ve been fortunate to receive tremendous support on social media over the years. To show our appreciation, we’ve made it our goal to frequently give back to our fans online. This year we held 3 big social media giveaways, and several other smaller ones. The three big giveaways alone earned us over 200 new followers, 5,500 engagements, and 39,000 impressions. We LOVE giving back to our community on social media, and will continue to do so going forward.

It was another great year for us at WTC thanks to our amazing customers, our dedicated employees, and the awesome communities we serve. THANK YOU all for another great year, and here’s to an even better 2024!

Questions? Comments? Send us a message at support@wtcks.com.