Grant-funded project to bring fiber broadband to nearly 2,000 rural addresses by 2025.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Tipmont Wintek and the Tippecanoe County Commissioners signed a contract on Monday, Oct. 3 to commence construction on a project that will bring state-of-the-art, fiber-to-the-home broadband service to nearly 2,000 rural Tippecanoe County addresses.
Facilitated by the county commissioners through federal grant funding, this partnership will ensure broadband internet access for nearly all Tippecanoe County homes and businesses by 2025.
Wintek is the fiber-optic broadband arm of Tipmont, a rural electric membership corporation whose service area includes parts of Tippecanoe County. Through this partnership, Wintek will make high-speed fiber broadband available by the end of 2025 in the following Tippecanoe County areas that do not have current or pending broadband solutions:
| LOCATION | START DATE | END DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule is tentative and can be affected by weather and supply and labor availability | ||
| MONTMORENCI AND SURROUNDING AREA | 1/30/23 | 2/5/24 |
| PURDUE UNIVERSITY AIRPORT WEST | 1/30/23 | 11/27/23 |
| WHITE / TIPPECANOE BORDER | 2/7/23 | 4/27/23 |
| EAST OTTERBEIN | 3/29/23 | 6/21/24 |
| N. RIVER ROAD | 4/27/23 | 10/25/24 |
| E. COUNTY ROAD 1200 S. | 4/28/23 | 7/31/23 |
| COLBURN AND SURROUNDING AREA | 9/29/23 | 1/15/25 |
| BUCK CREEK AND SURROUNDING AREA | 12/29/23 | 4/11/25 |
| SHADELAND AND SURROUNDING AREA | 3/01/24 | 2/26/25 |
| CLARKS HILL SURROUNDING | 6/28/24 | 8/15/25 |
| STATE ROAD 26 W. (RURAL) | 6/28/24 | 2/21/25 |
| STOCKWELL SURROUNDING | 6/28/24 | 2/21/25 |
In total, the project will encompass 160 miles of fiber and reach 1,947 service locations.
“We are thrilled to get the ball rolling on a project that will be transformative for so many people in Tippecanoe County,” said Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh. “Our county will be among the few in Indiana that can tout this level of broadband access, and it’s essential to strategic economic development, remote learning and working, and, most of all, quality of life.”
Wintek will add these areas to its existing broadband construction schedule — through which every Tipmont electric-service member will have broadband access by the end of 2024.
“This project stems from the ambition and vision of the Commissioners and Council, and we are honored to play a pivotal role in realizing it,” said Ron Holcomb, president and CEO of Tipmont Wintek. “High-quality service and local support have been our service hallmarks for over 80 years, and we look forward to serving these homes and businesses that need affordable, reliable access.”
Wintek fiber internet packages offer speeds from 250 Mbps to 1 Gbps, or 1,000 Mbps. All speeds are symmetrical for upload and download, creating seamless interaction for video conferencing, online learning and more. In addition to being the fastest broadband solution, fiber-optic technology is also future-proof — meaning regular system upgrades will not require the replacement of fiber-line infrastructure. Wintek also offers local customer service seven days a week.
“The access gap for this vital service demanded our attention, and it’s exciting to create new opportunities for people who call these parts of Tippecanoe County home,” says Kevin Underwood, president of the Tippecanoe County Council.
Candiss Vibbert, who lives off State Road 26 near its intersection with U.S. 231, is eager to enjoy improved broadband access for work, community meetings, family connections, and entertainment.
“This is a forward-looking initiative that reflects Tippecanoe County and Tipmont Wintek’s commitment to making these areas a better place to live, work and play,” Vibbert says. “In the end, technology is about communication, and communication is about connecting us to each other. We’re grateful for the commitment of these partners. It is really wonderful to watch people work together and get things done.”
For more project details, including a map and construction dates, please visit tcfiber.wintek.com.
