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Union Telephone updates Evanston on broadband upgrades and local hiring
Summary
Union Telephone told the Evanston City Council it is upgrading wireless and fiber networks, phasing out legacy 3G, and operating about 405 upgrade sites across its service area; the company emphasized local jobs and that 70–80% of customer spending stays in the community.
Ryan Schmidt, director of engineering for Union Telephone Company, told the Evanston City Council that Union is overhauling its wireless network in the region and continuing fiber service along the I‑80 corridor, including service into Evanston.
"We have about 405 sites that we're trying to get overhauled across all of our service area," Schmidt said, adding that Evanston is already taken care of and operational. He told the council Union is sunsetting legacy 3G structures and will perform network upgrades, noting that most work — from design and construction to customer service — is done in‑house.
Schmidt emphasized the local economic benefits of choosing a locally headquartered provider. "For every $100 that's spent by a customer on an annual basis, 70 to 80% of that comes back into the community," he said, contrasting it with national providers that return a smaller share to local economies. He also highlighted employment opportunities tied to in‑house operations and encouraged council members and residents to consider Union for municipal and business internet needs.
Council members asked about customer service, office presence and business offerings; Schmidt said Union operates a local retail store and provides both residential and business wireless and enterprise options. He also noted community outreach events (including a meet‑and‑greet at Gee Gees) and promotions such as referral credits and device upgrade incentives.
The presentation concluded with several council members thanking Schmidt for the update and congratulating him on a recent industry recognition mentioned during his remarks.
