Wittenberg Telephone Co. adds more fiber optic cable

WITTENBERG — Wittenberg Telephone Company and its subsidiary Cirrinity are in the third year of an eight-year project to offer fiber optic broadband connections in the area.
According to CEO Scott Nyman, the company has already laid 106 miles of cable. The area covered is between Galloway to Elderon, the whole village of Eland, rural areas toward County Road OO and state Highway 29 and east of Eland toward Shepley. Those projects are ongoing.

Also added this year was the village of Birnamwood. WTC is connecting to homes instead of to just cell towers.

“Our core services of internet, telephone or television are done with fiber optic connections which can provide gigabit speed,” said Nyman, “which is the fastest connection you can have for residential use.”

This summer WTC/Cirrinty hooked the Matsche Center in Birnamwood to the fiber optic broadband. Nyman noted that though they’ve always been in the area, the competitors have done a better job of letting customers know what is being offered. Nyman hopes to get the word out, where WTC is connecting directly to homes.

Cirrinity is the name for services provided outside of the Wittenberg area. According to Nyman, the city of Antigo had built a fiber network and then ran into some roadblocks. WTC bought them out in 2010 and named the company Cirrinity.

The state of Wisconsin has been offering grants through the Public Service Commission to increase broadband in rural unserved or underserved areas. Through these grants, Cirrinity has been able to expand the service area. Nyman says any new grants are being used on fiber optic networks.

The company encourages input from local residents, according to Nyman. They log each inquiry and use the data to help determine where should be the next expansions.

Nyman said that according to a recent seminar by the Realtor Association, “What internet is available?” is one of the most asked questions of people looking to buy homes.

“With more people using the internet for education, medical attention and working from home we like to work with local realtors to make sure people will have their needs met before purchasing a home,” said Nyman.

WTC is a privately-owned, third generation family company. In 2021, it will be celebrating 100 years in business.

More information is available at wittenbergnet.net or cirrinity.net. or call 715-253-2111.