Brightspeed, the nation's third-largest fiber broadband builder and provider of the country's fastest internet service, as determined by HighSpeedInternet.com's Annual Service Provider Review 2025, has hit a major milestone - the completion of its fiber network in 13 Kansas communities. Now, nearly 29,000 families and businesses in Baldwin, Benedict, Ellinwood, Garnett, Garness, Hillsboro, Holton, Horton, Huntington, Junction City, Osage City, Osawatomie and Sterling have access to ultra-fast, ultra-reliable internet powering everything from remote work and online learning to telehealth and local business growth.
The white paper suggests that fiber broadband is the best overall solution for three reasons. The first is that it is more reliable, has greater capacity and lower latency than other communications platforms. Fiber is also more resistant to congestion, weather and line-of-sight limitations. And, finally, fiber is better positioned to support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and - though the white paper doesn't mention it - the Internet of Things.
"The latest edition, titled "Encapsulating the Profound Impact of the Internet on American Life," found that 80% of adults find high quality internet very important to their household and rate it as one of the most important amenities. "Over 20 years of research confirms that reliable broadband has become as vital as electricity or water in American homes," Deborah Kish, FBA's Vice President of Research and Workforce Development, said in a press release about the fiber report."
Fidium is now the official name of the company formerly known as Consolidated Communications. Prior to the name change, the provider used the Fidium name as a brand for its fiber broadband service for several years. "Fidium is now the new name and face of our company, representing our fiber internet and network services capabilities across consumer, commercial and carrier lines of business," said a Fidium spokesperson in an email to Telecompetitor.