Ntec
Ntec (Nelson Communications Cooperative) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative providing fiber internet, app-delivered streaming TV, telephone, and managed Wi-Fi services to residential and business customers across approximately 365 square miles of rural West Central Wisconsin.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersDurand, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ntec does
Ntec (legal name: Nelson Communications Cooperative) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative headquartered in Durand, Wisconsin, serving approximately 365 square miles of rural West Central Wisconsin across communities including Nelson, Durand, Arkansaw, Gilmanton, Modena, Mondovi, and Plum City. Founded as Nelson Telephone Cooperative between 1948 and 1956 and rebranded to Ntec in 2014, the cooperative provides fiber-to-the-premises broadband, app-delivered streaming television, traditional telephone service, VoIP in select exchanges, and managed Wi-Fi across its defined service territory.
The company's core technology stack is a fiber optic backbone with diversified local and toll routing, a Genband IP-based softswitch for voice services, and Calix GigaSpire BLAST Ultimate Wi-Fi 6 equipment powering managed Wi-Fi with ProtectIQ network security, ExperienceIQ parental controls, and the NtecIQ mobile application. Television service is app-delivered across Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices, replacing traditional set-top boxes with cloud DVR and WatchTVEverywhere integration. SmartTown extends secure WPA3-encrypted community Wi-Fi with Passpoint authentication to public spaces.
Ntec operates a subscription-based revenue model with tiered pricing: fiber internet at $70-$130/month across 250 Mbps to 1 Gbps symmetrical speed tiers, Stream TV at $50-$135/month, and VoIP/telephone with usage-based long distance. Multi-service bundle discounts ($10/month for 2 services, $40/month for 3 services) drive attach. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the SmartHub self-service portal, phone support, in-person service at the Durand office, and field installation. Customer segments are primarily residential households and a secondary business segment (farms, local businesses, AVAYA business system customers), with cooperative members entitled to vote for the board of directors and receive capital credit patronage refunds.
Ntec firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ntec
- Legal name
- Nelson Communications Cooperative
- Website
- https://ntec.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ntec (Nelson Communications Cooperative) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative providing fiber internet, app-delivered streaming TV, telephone, and managed Wi-Fi services to residential and business customers across approximately 365 square miles of rural West Central Wisconsin.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ntec industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rural Broadband Telecommunications
- NAICS
- Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Communications Services, Nec (4899)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers (HDAIABAJ)
Keywords
Where Ntec is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durand
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ntec business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fiber Internet Service: Monthly subscription revenue from fiber internet plans at tiered pricing levels (1/4 Gig, 1/2 Gig, 1 Gig) with managed Wi-Fi included. Multi-service discounts available for bundling.
- Stream TV: Monthly subscription for TV streaming service with two base tiers (Basic at $50, Basic+Expanded at $135) plus add-ons for sports, movies, kids programming, and out-of-market stations.
- Telephone Service: Local and long-distance phone service with custom calling features available. VoIP service in select areas includes unlimited local calling and 500 minutes of long distance. Long distance billed per minute for continental US.
- Managed Wi-Fi Services: Value-added services bundled with internet including ProtectIQ, ExperienceIQ, and NtecIQ app access.
- Equipment Rental: Revenue from rental of streaming receiver boxes ($5/month) and streaming devices for Ntec Stream TV service.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 1/4 Gig Fiber - Entry-level fiber internet |
| Subscription | Monthly | 1/2 Gig Fiber - Mid-tier fiber internet |
| Subscription | Monthly | 1 Gig Fiber - Premium fiber internet |
| Subscription | Monthly | Stream TV Basic |
| Subscription | Monthly | Stream TV Basic + Expanded |
| Subscription | Monthly | Stream TV Add-ons |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Long Distance - Continental US and Hawaii |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Long Distance - Alaska and Canada |
| Subscription | Monthly | VoIP Service (Mondovi and Plum City areas) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Battery Backup Unit |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Ntec product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ntec (legal name Nelson Communications Cooperative) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative that delivers fiber-to-the-premises broadband internet, app-based streaming television, traditional landline and VoIP telephone service, managed Wi-Fi with bundled security and parental controls, and a SmartTown community Wi-Fi platform to residential and business customers across approximately 365 square miles of rural West Central Wisconsin. Operations are supported by a fiber optic backbone with diversified routing, a Genband IP-based softswitch central office, and Calix GigaSpire BLAST Wi-Fi 6 customer premises equipment.
Product overview
Ntec is a locally owned telecommunications cooperative providing fiber internet, television, and telephone services to rural communities in West Central Wisconsin. Its core product portfolio centers on fiber broadband (offering three speed tiers from 250 Mbps to 1 Gbps symmetrical), delivered via the GigaSpire BLAST Ultimate Wi-Fi router with managed services including ProtectIQ (network security), ExperienceIQ (parental controls), and the NtecIQ mobile app. Television service (Stream TV) is app-delivered across Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku platforms in two tiers (Basic and Basic + Expanded), eliminating traditional set-top boxes. Telephone services include conventional landline phone and VoIP (available in select exchanges), with extensive custom calling features and competitive long-distance rates. The SmartHub platform provides a unified account management portal and mobile app for billing, payments, Auto Pay, notifications, and service management. SmartTown extends managed Wi-Fi to community public spaces with Passpoint authentication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ntec Fiber Internet Fiber-optic broadband internet service for residential and business customers in rural West Central Wisconsin, offered in three symmetrical speed tiers (1/4 Gig at $70/month, 1/2 Gig at $100/month, 1 Gig at $130/month with paperless billing) over a fiber-to-the-premises network. Plans include unlimited data, no contracts, and a GigaSpire BLAST Ultimate Wi-Fi router with Managed Wi-Fi, ProtectIQ, ExperienceIQ, and NtecIQ app access.
- Ntec Stream TV App-delivered streaming television service for residential customers that eliminates set-top boxes, available in Basic (50+ channels at $50/month) and Basic + Expanded (135+ channels at $135/month) tiers. Includes cloud DVR with 250GB storage (500GB with premium upgrade), Lookback/Rewind TV, and optional add-ons for sports, movies, kids programming, out-of-market stations, and additional simultaneous streams. Compatible with Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku streaming devices, with WatchTVEverywhere included for out-of-territory streaming.
- Ntec Home Phone Local and long-distance landline telephone service for residential and business customers, with custom calling features including Caller ID, Call Waiting, Three-Way Calling, voicemail, selective call management, and call forwarding. Long-distance usage is billed per minute at 12¢ for the Continental U.S. and Hawaii, and 25¢ for Alaska and Canada.
- Ntec VoIP Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone service available to customers in the Mondovi (926) and Plum City (647) exchanges. Includes unlimited local calling, 500 minutes of long-distance calling, Caller ID with Name and Number, Caller ID Call Waiting, Simple Voicemail, Voicemail to Email, Message Waiting Tone, Call Forward Don't Answer, and Call Forward Busy.
- SmartTown Community Wi-Fi Secure, encrypted community Wi-Fi hotspot solution for public spaces across Ntec's service territory. Features WPA3 encryption, network-level protection against malicious threats, and Passpoint Technology for automatic network discovery and connection between hotspots. Residents can download a Passpoint profile for automatic authentication; visitors access the network via QR code or captive portal, with end-to-end cloud management.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 1 Gbps fiber internet with 7ms latency
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ntec
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Ntec technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Ntec partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- Passpoint (Wi-Fi Alliance)supportingSmartTown secure community Wi-Fi uses Passpoint Technology developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance for automatic network discovery, authentication, and seamless connection between hotspots. This enables users to automatically connect to SmartTown networks without repeated login requirements.
- GenbandcoreNtec's central office is equipped with Genband IP-Based Softswitch technology, enabling advanced VoIP and telecommunications capabilities. This represents critical infrastructure for the cooperative's voice services.
- AVAYAsupportingNtec is an authorized AVAYA Business Partner providing business system installation and maintenance services. This certification allows Ntec to sell, install, and support AVAYA business phone systems for commercial customers.
- Calix (GigaSpire BLAST)coreNtec offers GigaSpire BLAST Ultimate Wi-Fi systems, which are manufactured by Calix. The GigaSpire BLAST platform with Wi-Fi 6 technology powers Ntec's managed Wi-Fi, ProtectIQ, ExperienceIQ, and NtecIQ services.
- Amazon (Fire TV)supportingNtec Stream TV is compatible with Amazon Fire TV devices including Fire Stick Gen2, 4K, Fire TV Cube Gen2 and Gen3. Amazon streaming devices are recommended by Ntec for the best viewing experience.
- Apple (Apple TV)supportingNtec Stream TV is compatible with Apple TV Gen 4 HD and newer, and Gen 1 4K and newer. Apple TV devices are supported streaming platforms for Ntec's app-delivered TV service.
- RokusupportingNtec Stream TV is compatible with multiple Roku models including Express 3900X, Premiere 3920X, Streaming Stick 3810X, Ultra 4640X, and Roku 4440X. Roku devices are supported for Ntec's app-delivered TV service.
- WatchTVEverywheresupportingWatchTVEverywhere is included with Ntec TV Service and allows subscribers to stream up to 70 cable channels outside the Ntec service area on any internet connection and streaming device, enabling access while traveling.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ntec competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TDS Telecom: Regional ILEC operating fiber, TV, and phone across rural Wisconsin and the broader Midwest — larger but operating a directly comparable product set in similar small-town markets.
- Mosaic Telecom: Member-owned Wisconsin cooperative delivering fiber internet, TV, and phone to rural communities — directly comparable cooperative telco model and rural Wisconsin footprint to Ntec.
- Hiawatha Broadband Company: Wisconsin-headquartered fiber-to-the-home provider serving rural and small-town markets with broadband, voice, and managed Wi-Fi — overlapping service mix and territory profile with Ntec.
- Reedsburg Utility Commission: Wisconsin municipal utility offering fiber broadband, video, and phone to a small-town service area — analogous small-footprint, community-owned fiber operator with a comparable product bundle.
- Citizens Connected (Citizens Telecommunications): Rural-focused cooperative/ILEC fiber provider serving small-town markets with broadband, voice, and video — comparable rural cooperative economics and product mix.
Broad incumbents
- Consolidated Communications: Regional incumbent fiber/DSL/copper operator across the Midwest and beyond — offers overlapping rural broadband and voice services but at significantly greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Lumen Technologies: National incumbent telco offering fiber, voice, and managed services — overlaps with Ntec in residential voice and broadband categories but operates nationally at vastly larger scale.
- Frontier Communications: Large rural-focused ILEC delivering fiber and voice across 25 states — directly competes with Ntec in rural broadband/voice but with national scale and broader fiber-build programs.
- AT&T: Major national incumbent offering fiber, fixed wireless, and voice — adjacent incumbent competitor in Wisconsin with overlapping broadband/voice categories but much broader portfolio.
Emerging players
- Starlink (SpaceX): LEO satellite broadband targeting the same rural, underserved households Ntec serves — emerging alternative connectivity layer that competes for the same rural Wisconsin subscriber base where fiber buildout is constrained.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ntec social profiles
Digital presenceNtec financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ntec leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ntec funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ntec M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ntec
What does Ntec do?
Ntec (legal name Nelson Communications Cooperative) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative that delivers fiber-to-the-premises broadband internet, app-based streaming television, traditional landline and VoIP telephone service, managed Wi-Fi with bundled security and parental controls, and a SmartTown community Wi-Fi platform to residential and business customers across approximately 365 square miles of rural West Central Wisconsin. Operations are supported by a fiber optic backbone with diversified routing, a Genband IP-based softswitch central office, and Calix GigaSpire BLAST Wi-Fi 6 customer premises equipment.
Is Ntec a public or private company?
Ntec is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Ntec founded?
Ntec was founded in 1948. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ntec based?
Ntec is headquartered in Durand, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ntec make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Fiber Internet Service is the primary driver. The others are stream TV, telephone Service, managed Wi-Fi Services and equipment Rental.
Who are Ntec's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TDS Telecom, Mosaic Telecom, Hiawatha Broadband Company, Reedsburg Utility Commission and Citizens Connected (Citizens Telecommunications). Broad incumbents are Consolidated Communications, Lumen Technologies, Frontier Communications and AT&T. Starlink (SpaceX) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Ntec have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ntec.
What industry is Ntec in?
Ntec's product category is Rural Broadband Telecommunications. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIABAJ, Rural & Universal Service Fixed Broadband Providers. Its NAICS code is 517111 and its SIC code is 4813.