20 years ago, we started with a simple mission—to provide an unrivaled customer experience by bringing trusted technology and superior service to Kansans. From our very first customer to serving thousands today, we’ve grown alongside you. Every step of the way, your trust has powered our journey. Through the years, one thing has remained constant: our commitment to our customers and our communities. Operating with integrity and pushing innovation forward - it’s what drives us every single day.
In 2004, Nex-Tech and Golden Belt Telephone joined together to form Nex-Tech Wireless. On October 15th 2005, Nex-Tech Wireless officially launched service. By the end of 2006, after a full year in business, Nex-Tech Wireless had 37 employees, 110 cell towers, 13,872 customers, and served 29 counties. Now, we have 125 employees, 400 cell towers, 68,903 customers, and serve 44 counties which equals to 44,000 sq miles of coverage! This is a significant change that demonstrates how Nex-Tech Wireless has grown over the years.
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A 2004 newspaper article detailing the formation of Nex-Tech Wireless
Here’s what our VP of Sales & Customer Development, Alicia Tripler had to say:
“We've grown tremendously in my tenure at Nex-Tech Wireless. When we started we had retail stores in Hays, and in Great Bend. Now we have 13 corporate run retail locations across the state to service our customers and we provide service in 44 counties, which is significant growth. When I started, we didn't have 20,000 subscribers yet and so now to be nearing 70,000 subscribers is significant growth over that period. There are some very exciting things on the horizon, both technologically and, for customers and so I'm very excited about what the future is going to bring for us.”
Nex-Tech Wireless COO Aaron Gillespie had this to add:
“You know, 20 years doesn't seem like a long time, but it is a long time and I think it's a testament to who we are as a company. Through all of this, we've had one goal in mind, which is to serve our fellow Kansans with great customer service and a great customer experience. I could not be more proud of the team for being able to deliver on that goal.”
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A photo of the first phone call made on the Nex-Tech Wireless network in April 2005
From launching EVDO Rev, a high-speed mobile data technology in 2007, launching our first iPhone in May of 2012, to now having launched 5G in 2021 and One-Click Sim transfer last year, the technology involved has also changed dramatically. Nathan Sutter, our VP of Technology had this to say:
“So, the evolution of technology has had a really interesting effect on the evolution of Nex-Tech Wireless. We've really grown as our customer expectations grew. So initially when we started, the customer expectation was as long as I can make a phone call when I'm out and about, I really like my provider and things are pretty cool. That expectation evolved when we went from basically what's 2G to 3G. All of a sudden, we definitely needed to be able to use our phones everywhere for voice and then we moved from, ‘I just want this thing that I can talk on and do a little bit of email and maybe some light web surfing’ to ‘I need this thing to give me my YouTube cat videos in my basement and everywhere that I am’ when we went from 3G to 4G. The changes in the network to support that have been unbelievable and now we have 5G and are looking towards the future. That has been really cool to be a part of.”
As Nex-Tech Wireless has grown, we haven’t forgotten the important things like taking care of our customers as well
as our employees. One of the things that has helped Nex-Tech Wireless stay strong after 20 years is the incredible people we have working for us as Daron Jamison, our VP of Corporate Development & Regulatory points out:
“As someone who has had the opportunity to be part of a number of organizations over my career, I feel confident in saying that Nex-Tech Wireless really is a unique and premier organization and I'm really proud to be part of it. From the way that we as the employees are treated and the opportunities we are given, all the way to the level of value we have for our customers and the lengths we will go to make sure that our customers are getting the service and support they need. It's just a really powerful organization in terms of the culture and the belief system around it. I think that anybody associated or affiliated with this organization should understand that you don't just find this anywhere you go. This isn't the normal. This is really unique, what's been built here and it's really incumbent upon all of us that are part of it to make sure that this continues and to make sure that future employees, future team members, and future customers all have the same kind of opportunities that we have today.
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Early newspaper clippings of Nex-Tech Wireless being voted #1 wireless provider
From our President and CEO, Jon Lightle:
“Help us in celebrating 20 years of business! This milestone belongs to you - our customers, our partners, and our communities. We will strive for many more years to come as we continue to serve our friends and neighbors and as we continue to invest in our communities. Together, we’ve built something worth celebrating… and we can’t wait to see what the next 20 years bring.”
