WISPA Awards Winner Profile - WISPER Internet
WISPER Internet was born to solve a problem. Nathan Stooke – Wisper’s CEO – knew he and his neighbors didn’t have good choices for internet access. So, instead of waiting for it to arrive, he built that access himself. Problem solved. Today, WISPER Internet, headquartered in Mascoutah, Illinois, boasts an ever-growing staff to service locations in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, thriving by delivering reliable, evolutionary broadband to rural Americans, who like him, once did not have good access choices.At WISPAPALOOZA 2022, WISPER Internet won Operator of the Year. Here’s a little bit more about why from Nathan Stooke.
- Why do you think WISPER won best operator – what sets you apart from the 3,000 other WISPs out there? When I started WISPER, my goal was to create a company so loved by its employees and customers that it doesn’t matter what the competition does. We are faced with the same challengers as other WISPs out there from ops, to competition, to funding, and my goal has always been to help create an industry. I love learning from other operators and helping teach them what I’ve learned.
- How long have you been at this; and how are you growing? 19+ years! We have been funded through our CAF build and are building 10-15 towers a month. We are also growing our employee base to be able to add customers. There truly is a digital divide in 2022, and we’re excited to be closing that as fast as we possibly can.
- You’ve seen a lot of technology changing – what excites you about that, especially for your customers? I truly believe in the right tool for the right job, so I am excited to see the advancements in wireless to allow us to truly scale to meet the demand for service that is out there.
- You all are playing an important part in the national policy of connecting all Americans to the internet – what is key there for you? The main point I would like legislators to consider is to not have the legislation dictate the technology, but to have legislation dictate the outcome that is desired. And then let us, the technology companies, determine the best tech and approach to reach that outcome.
- At the end of the day, the customer isn’t so concerned about the underlying technology, but the service of the provider. Agree? I agree 100%. It's all about customer experience no matter what tool you use to provide them the service. That’s why we strive to be customer focused, always.