Washington, DC — July 13, 2020 — WISPA announced today that it has reached a new all-time record for member companies, reaching the 1,000-member mark for the first time in the organization’s 16-year history.
Almli Communications in L’Anse, Michigan, has the distinction of being WISPA’s 1000th member.
Keith Almli began Almli Communications in the winter of 2020. Like many WISPs, Almli started his WISP to provide rural customers with better options for fast Internet at a reasonable cost. What got Almli to join WISPA? “We’re new to the WISP industry, and we needed to get timely info on regulation, as well as connect with others who have lots of experience running a WISP.”
He came to the right place. WISPA ensures that small broadband providers are heard and taken account of on the national stage, and are educated on key legislative and regulatory issues that impact their businesses.
WISPA and the WISP community also provided the raw resources to grow and stay prosperous, such as:
- Holding virtual WISPAMERICA with 19 informative webinars during COVID-19 shut-in
- Supplying members-only COVID-19 response resources
- Publishing SmartBrief, highlighting useful industry news and trends
- Offering members-only discounts on CPI CBRS training
- Furnishing exclusive members-only research, webinars and industry resources
- Making available members-only employer and individual health insurance plans
- And providing a members-only buying club perks program
“In many ways, our 1000th member is our typical member: a small provider with just a handful of customers, delivering high-speed broadband service for less than $40 per month,” said Claude Aiken, President and CEO of WISPA. “Our members are on the front lines deploying the next-generation connectivity to underserved communities in the United States. WISPA is proud to welcome Almli Communications to our community!”
