Consolidated Telecommunications Company is Bringing Fiber to Moran Township

Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) is a full-service telecommunications cooperative operating in Todd County. They are a strong regional partner, providing essential telecommunications services to over 11,000 members in our region. Recently, they were awarded a Rural Utilities Service (RUS) grant to build out their fiber network in Moran Township. Businesses and residents in the area will receive High Speed Internet with speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second (or 1,000Mbps), along with Digital TV, HD TV and local phone service. This is part of a county and statewide strategy to ensure that all residents and businesses have access to broadband – something that is essential for fostering an entrepreneurial culture and boosting economic growth in our more rural communities.

CTC was a good fit for the Moran Township project because they have been providing services to underserved areas since 1952. Recently, CTC worked with the City of Long Prairie to bring fiber to the city limits. In 2018, CTC also partnered with Todd County Development Corporation building out fiber from Cole Lake to Browerville and proceeding  to Long Prairie so businesses and homes along that path could access fiber optic services.

As a cooperative, CTC is member-owned, and they make decisions on where to expand their fiber network based on their member’s needs and requests from the community. This has earned them a reputation of “digging in when other providers give up.” We asked Andy Isackson, Public Relations, to elaborate on this and he said, “Technology can be tricky and it’s not always one size fits all. CTC can engineer services for customers and CTC support makes sure problems are fixed in a timely manner. Plus, as a Central Minnesota Cooperative, it is very important that we deliver not only state-of-the-art technology to our members, but also an exceptional customer experience.”

Partnering to Expand Broadband Services

Of partnering with Todd County, Isackson said, “It’s been a great partnership. Todd County is one of the most underserved counties in Minnesota for broadband services. CTC and Todd county have had a great relationship in finding creative ways to bring these much-needed services to the area. We have received excellent support and need to make sure that broadband expansion continues to be a top priority for our local politicians. They can help to drive policies and funding to ensure that broadband is a priority for the state. It is very expensive to expand Internet services to rural areas and it takes the help of many people to make it happen.”

CTC is looking ahead and planning for what comes next. In addition to further expansion to their fiber network, they plan to upgrade their central office equipment and stay up-to-date on the latest software. They also monitor their network closely to ensure they have the capacity required to meet their member’s needs. This aligns with their mission to serve underserved areas so that their members have the telecommunication tools they need to enjoy a high quality of life and grow their business.  For more information on CTC, visit www.goctc.com.