Twin Valley to Bring Fiber Internet to Bennington

August 24, 2022

Twin Valley to Bring Fiber Internet to Bennington

News & Events

Bennington will be among the first in the nation to get 2 Gbps symmetrical speeds with a state-of-the-art fiber broadband network. Twin Valley is rolling out the new speed tier as a part of its Pledge to provide the most reliable broadband network.

This week, Twin Valley is breaking ground on a fiber expansion project to more than 360 homes and businesses in Bennington, located in southern Ottawa County. The company will offer 2 Gbps symmetrical internet service – up to 2,000 Mbps for both download and upload. The project is expected to be complete by early 2023.

In addition, Twin Valley is applying for a grant to bring fiber internet to rural Bennington through the Capital Projects Fund, administered by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development. If awarded the grant, that would extend fiber to an additional 500 homes and businesses.

“We have served Bennington since 1960 and are happy to be reinvesting in the community with this cutting-edge technology,” Twin Valley VP of Operations Scott Leitzel said. “Fiber is key for economic development, attracting and retaining residents, and remote work and education.”

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel recently proposed that the new national broadband standard be set to 100 Mbps for download and 20 Mbps for upload. The current broadband standard is 25/3 Mbps, which was last updated in 2015.

“The needs of internet users long ago surpassed the FCC’s 25/3 speed metric, especially during a global health pandemic that moved so much of life online,” Rosenworcel said.

She went on to explain that low internet speeds negatively affect low-income and rural residents the most. She also proposed setting a separate national goal of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps for the future. Twin Valley will offer plans that range from the lowest speed tier of 100 Mbps symmetrical, exceeding the proposed broadband standard, and the 2 Gbps symmetrical speed will offer double the download and four times the upload of this future goal.

This project is part of a greater initiative by Twin Valley – the largest family-owned broadband provider in the state – to improve connectivity for rural Kansans. The company will offer fiber broadband service to 10,000 homes and businesses by the end of 2022, with plans to more than double that in coming years.

Last year, Twin Valley made a pledge to its communities and customers to provide the most reliable network with internet options at the best value, hometown customer service, and meaningful outreach initiatives.

“When it comes to advocating for cutting-edge communications and connectivity for rural Kansans, we have been industry leaders for more than 75 years,” Twin Valley President & CEO Ben Foster said. “We have made intentional infrastructure investments to help rural families, businesses, and communities thrive for generations, and this project reflects our commitment to offering the most reliable network.”

Twin Valley’s symmetrical speeds, with up to 2 Gbps for both download and upload, give individuals and families the bandwidth to handle all their online activities without any slowdowns, including working from home, completing online coursework, streaming TV, online gaming, accessing telehealth, and more. Fiber gives businesses the bandwidth to quickly store and access information in the cloud, connect with remote employees and clients through video calls, maintain their online presence through websites and social media, and more.

In addition, telephone service is not required with fiber internet, and existing customers may make changes to their account after their home is converted to fiber and services are live.

The company offers financial assistance for internet service, including the federal Lifeline and Affordable Connectivity Programs and the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance program. With qualifying Lifeline and ACP application, Twin Valley residential fiber customers in Bennington can get free internet service. Information about these programs is available here.

The increased demand for broadband and unprecedented federal funding for fiber expansion has led to supply chain issues in the industry. The timeline is subject to change based upon the availability of equipment and fiber optic cable. Updates will be provided online.