Fiber to home headed to Gilman, serving 195 homes along the way

Gilman will soon have access to highspeed internet through Ntera, who plans for a fiber to home project to begin this year. Ntera is an LLC, which was formed by two cooperatives – Chippewa Valley Electric and Citizens Connected in 2018, to provide broadband to customers.

Ryan Hartzell, director of technical services at Ntera, was on hand Feb. 9, to explain to the Gilman Village Board exactly what Ntera has in mind for the project. Hartzell said Ntera expanded and evolved what they originally had in mind when the company was started, when rural townships would attend discussion meetings on broadband access.

“They’d all say, man, we’re starved for this high-speed internet,” said Hartzell.

Ntera heard the cries for help and not only provided those services in Holcombe, but have also worked their way to Sheldon, outside of Cornell and south of Cadott.

“We’re expanding as much as we can with the grant programs that are out there,” said Hartzell, adding that Ntera wants to reach those left out. “We try to do rural America, we don’t try to go into all these bigger cities, because there are enough…that already serve (other companies).

Coming from Cornell to Gilman, along State Hwy. 64, into the village itself, Ntera has an $800,000 project in mind, but applied for a grant from the Public Service Commission (PSC), which is state money. Through that, they received 20 percent ($320,000), with Ntera funding the rest, where 195 homes will be covered under the project.

“Our goal here is to basically get the village covered,” said Hartzell. “There are more grants and there’s more funding coming forward. And our plan is to just get this started and expand in future areas outside of here, as it’s needed.”

The service can handle high amounts of gigabytes (GB) through fiber optic cable, unlike copper, which has a base limit. When the cable is put into the ground, PUSH will complete the work, with a minimum of disturbance.

Greg Steinbach, village trustee, asked if the service will go out when he’s watching a ballgame, but Hartzell says since it’s underground, that won’t be the case. Hartzell also said that since the fiber is buried, once it’s put in the ground, it will be there a long time, with no maintenance.

“The infrastructure is future proof,” said Hartzell.

Another thing Gilman is working on is housing needs in the village. Although it’s been on hiatus, the ADHOC Committee on Housing/Economic Development is still hearing interest in new business/ housing wanting to come to the village. There’s even talk that there might be apartments developed in the old Phoenix House.

“Just the fact that someone is taking the time, looking forward into things, those are all good signs of moving forward with things,” said committee chair/ police chief Tom Tallier.

Tallier says there is also talk of a retail store coming to town.

“We’ve (committee) been in existence since December, and…we’ve had great conversations,” he said.

Tallier also mentioned that he has a new desktop computer now, with a webcam, where he can Zoom.

“It’s a step that needed to happen,” said Tallier.

He also has his squad back that was being worked on and ordered a new squad in December, but since everything is backed up, he’s hoping by April it will be ready.

“Regarding technology, everything that is in this present squad, can it just be moved?” asked village president Jane DeStaercke.

Tallier said it can be, but he also wants to add more lighting to be more visible, as a foggy day not too long ago, he was on an accident scene. Tallier had a scary moment, when a semi coming up on the scene didn’t see them through the fog and was feet from slamming into the back of the squad.