Fiber & Wireless Field Service Technician

IdeaTek named to Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies for 13th time. BUHLER, Kansas - Fueled by growing demand for reliable fiber internet across Kansas, IdeaTek Telcom has landed at No. 1,158 on the 2025 Inc. 5000, Inc. magazine's annual ranking of the nation's fastest-growing companies, released this month. Making the list for the 13th time, IdeaTek has seen its ranking climb steadily - from 2,714th in 2024 to 1,227th last year to its current spot this year. It reflects the company's long-standing mission to bring Internet Freedom to communities across Kansas. Now serving more than 130 communities, IdeaTek's achievements over the past year include a rapid expansion of its network in the Wichita metro area and its extension beyond its Midwest footprint, with a commitment to bring a 100% fiber network to Tucson, Arizona, over the coming year. Reflecting growing demand for faster speeds, better service, and more provider choice in both metro and rural areas, IdeaTek is also investing $8 million to expand fiber infrastructure in Parsons, bringing high-speed internet to Burns, Elbing and Whitewater. "IdeaTek's mission of Internet Freedom means that fast, reliable broadband should be accessible for every American," said IdeaTek Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer Daniel Friesen. "Landing at No. 1,158 on this year's Inc. 5000 list, after climbing the rankings for three years in a row, shows that the demand for what we're building only continues to accelerate." IdeaTek was founded in 1999 by Friesen and four friends while attending Buhler High School. Today, the company employs over 260 Kansans and continues to grow. Significant private investment, paired with several state and federal broadband expansion programs, has accelerated IdeaTek's growth, making it one of Reno County's larger employers. This year, major initiatives that underscore IdeaTek's momentum include: * Tucson, Arizona Expansion - As the first new licensee to receive a right-of-way license under the City of Tucson's Fiber-to-the-Premise initiative, IdeaTek plans to invest $300 million to bring a 100% fiber-optic network to Tucson, delivering speeds up to 8 Gig to thousands of Tucson homes and businesses. * Wichita Fiber Expansion - IdeaTek's flagship metro-area project to date, the company has invested over $250 million to bring fiber internet to homes, businesses and schools in Wichita and surrounding communities. IdeaTek's expansion gives residents real competition, more choice, local customer support and top-tier speeds at prices that make sense. * 8-Gig Infrastructure - Delivering unlimited, uncapped speeds of up to 8 gigabits per second, IdeaTek's fiber capabilities are unmatched across most of Kansas and far surpass what other providers can offer. This includes building out infrastructure to serve mid-sized Kansas communities such as Topeka and Emporia. * ISP Acquisitions - Acquiring three existing ISPs across Kansas over the past year has not only expanded IdeaTek's reach in the state but also provided the opportunity to update infrastructure and technology in those communities, delivering even faster and more reliable service to customers. "Every milestone we hit simply reflects our team's commitment to showing up for communities that have waited too long for a reliable broadband option," Friesen said. IdeaTek Chief Executive Officer Jerrod Reimer said the company is doing everything possible to serve more neighborhoods while providing the signature personalized service that IdeaTek's current customers have come to value. "Being named to the Inc. 5000 for the 13th time isn't something we take for granted. It reflects a decade of Kansans choosing IdeaTek because they wanted a better option," Reimer said. "As we push deeper into Wichita, Tucson and rural communities across Kansas, our focus stays the same: build the infrastructure people actually need and treat every customer like a neighbor, because most of the time, they are." About IdeaTek Telcom IdeaTek Telcom, LLC, is a Buhler, Kansas-based broadband service provider with the mission of "fighting for Internet Freedom." IdeaTek uses a unique and innovative approach to deploy scalable, long-term fiber-optic infrastructure, bridging the broadband gap in rural communities. The company has already successfully built over 8,500 miles of fiber throughout Kansas. IdeaTek has long been at the forefront in Kansas on broadband equity issues and is committed to enriching the communities in which they operate. About Inc. 5000 Started in 1982, Inc. magazine's list has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2020 to 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2020. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent - not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies. The minimum revenue required for 2020 is $100,000; the minimum for 2023 is $2 million. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

IdeaTek to acquire Wave Wireless. PARSONS, Kan. - IdeaTek Telcom, a Kansas-based fiber internet provider, has entered into an agreement to acquire Wave Wireless, a locally owned broadband provider serving southeast Kansas. The acquisition expands IdeaTek's fiber and fixed wireless footprint across Labette County and reinforces the company's long-term investment in rural Kansas. Founded in 2000, Wave Wireless has spent 25 years delivering broadband to homes and businesses across Labette County - a foundation IdeaTek plans to build on. Following the acquisition, IdeaTek will introduce its industry-leading 8 Gig residential internet service, featuring symmetrical speeds, unlimited data and no contracts. The company will explore extending its fiber network into areas currently served by Wave Wireless's fixed wireless service, while maintaining reliable coverage for existing customers. The acquisition advances IdeaTek's mission of Fighting for Internet Freedom by helping bring reliable, high-speed internet to more Kansans, regardless of where they live. IdeaTek is currently building fiber in Parsons and recently completed fiber expansions in Eureka and Baxter Springs - extending its presence across southeast Kansas. The company is also growing statewide, with active fiber construction underway in Topeka, Emporia and Wichita. "We are excited to welcome Wave Wireless customers to the IdeaTek network," said Daniel Friesen, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of IdeaTek. "We want to build on what Wave Wireless started more than 25 years ago and continue providing best-in-class service while expanding fiber and investing in the future of southeast Kansas." "Our two companies are united by the same mission: delivering the highest-quality, most trusted fiber internet to our region," said Galen Manners of Wave Wireless. "By aligning with IdeaTek, we're choosing the best possible path forward for our business and our community. From our first transmitter site to the hundreds of miles of fiber we operate today, this has always been about meeting our neighbors' needs - and joining IdeaTek allows us to keep that same local focus while bringing even more resources to the future of broadband in southeast Kansas." Wave Wireless will continue its day-to-day operations throughout its service area. The two companies expect to close the transaction this fall, subject to customary regulatory approval. About Wave Wireless Wave Wireless is a locally owned and operated broadband provider based in Parsons, Kansas. Founded in 2000 in response to the need for faster-than-dial-up internet for rural residents of Labette County, the company has grown from a single transmitter site to 22, expanding its network with both fixed wireless and fiber service to 3,000 locations - including in Altamont and Oswego - to meet customer needs across the region. About IdeaTek IdeaTek was founded in 1999 by Daniel Friesen and four friends while attending Buhler High School. Today, with the mission of "fighting for Internet Freedom," the company employs more than 250 Kansans and continues to grow. IdeaTek has deployed over 8,500 miles of fiber and built 150 fixed wireless towers, serving customers in over 130 Kansas communities and counting. IdeaTek uses a unique and innovative approach to deploy scalable, long-term fiber-optic infrastructure, working to bridge the digital divide in Kansas communities. IdeaTek is a champion for broadband equity and is committed to enriching the communities they serve. The company was recently named to Inc. 5000's list of fastest-growing companies for the 13th time and one of Inc's Best Workplaces in 2026.