Fiber Broadband Is a Vital Resource for Local Communities

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and enjoyed your time with friends and family. The beginning of 2025 is an exciting moment because we have another opportunity to continue our mission to uplift the communities we support by providing vital communications services.

We offer a range of resources meant to connect businesses, homes, schools and so many others to the world. Or perhaps it’s simply one neighbor chatting or sharing information with another neighbor. That’s the power of our internet network in the modern digital world—it does multiple jobs to bring us together, make our local economy stronger and build lasting connections. We believe everyone should be included in this network, making access to these services critical. Every community deserves fast, reliable connections, and we’re committed to making that happen for you and your neighbors.

You need to look no further than the pages of this magazine each month for examples that highlight ways businesses and community organizations connect. For instance, social media allows competitive dancers to share their successes, and it introduces the art to others who might be interested in participating. Similarly, the website of Gnometown Grounds allows the business to tout its coffee shop, lunch offerings and gift shop. That’s only the beginning, though.

Online job opportunities and the expansion of local businesses allow our economies to thrive. A reliable internet is the bridge tying our current successes to future growth. But success isn’t limited to the business sector. Our schools rely on a range of online tools and resources to create vibrant classrooms. Older students can connect to remote college classes, and those already in the workforce can use online resources to advance their careers.

For all these reasons and more, we’ve invested in bringing our powerful internet network to as many communities as possible as quickly as possible. Farmers Mutual and Federated Telephone now span about 3,300 square miles, serving 7,800 subscribers.

This year, we will extend the network another 90 square miles, significantly increasing the number of people with access to these critical digital resources. In particular, we are growing in Kandiyohi and Chippewa counties, growth that’s vital to our success.

These communities are outside the area traditionally served by our co-op, and adding these new members provides a range of benefits. Not only will our network serve the residents of these communities, but it also creates benefits for all our members. Adding new internet subscribers reduces the per-member cost for everyone—the cost of maintaining our network is spread across more people. Additionally, this larger structure increases our purchasing power and ability to buy products and services at lower rates. Our overall business becomes stronger and better able to withstand any competition that might arise.

It’s an exciting time, and we look forward to continuing to bring the services that make our communities better connected and stronger. May your 2025 be filled with happiness and prosperity. Thank you for letting us serve you.