ECE celebrates the first members connected to fiber internet!

On February 23, East Central Energy proudly hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the first members connected to ECE Fiber services. The cooperative connected the first internet member on December 14, 2023, and nearly 280 members were connected at the time of the ceremony.

The ceremony also recognized the entities and townships that helped make ECE Fiber a reality. Throughout the last year, ECE experienced growth in every aspect of the project, including 850 miles of fiber lines constructed, 14,500+ members expressing interest, 34 new employees, and a new operations center built. Although fiber construction is paused during the winter months, the co-op has continued to accept registrations, and spring construction will begin once the ground has thawed.

During the event, President/CEO Justin Jahnz said a few words regarding the historic achievement. “In 1936, ECE powered its first address and undeniably improved the lives of members throughout the region,” he mentioned. “Now 88 years later, we are connecting members to fiber internet and bridging the digital divide. ECE Fiber service provides an opportunity for members to participate in remote work, distance learning, telehealth, and so many other opportunities that improve daily life.”

The co-op is committed to providing speed and quality service and is working to bring the best product possible to rural Minnesota and Wisconsin, while keeping costs down.

“Through grant funding and a cooperative business model that's focused on the cost of service—not profitability—we're able to offer a competitive price,” Jahnz said, thanking the State of Minnesota and the State of Wisconsin for supporting the effort. The cooperative has been awarded nearly $19 million in grant funding for the fiber project, with additional grant applications still pending.

ECE members are encouraged to visit ecefiber.com and sign up to express interest in the internet services. By signing up online, members will be notified as ECE gets closer to building in their area and receive future updates via email.