Ten years ago, a simple question from Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) members set in motion one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the region’s recent history.
As DMEA was installing fiber-optic lines to modernize its electric system, members began asking whether that same technology could be extended to homes and businesses.
At the time, much of Montrose and Delta counties still relied on DSL, satellite or fixed-wireless internet, leaving many residents without the reliable broadband needed for work, education and health care.
This summer, Elevate Internet is celebrating its 10th anniversary after officially launching as DMEA’s broadband subsidiary on June 16, 2016.
What began as a member-driven initiative has grown into one of Western Colorado’s largest locally owned fiber networks, serving more than 18,000 homes and businesses through more than 2,500 miles of fiber infrastructure while securing nearly $61 million in grant funding to expand broadband throughout the region.
“Reliable, high-speed internet wasn’t available in many of our communities, and our members challenged us to find a solution,” DMEA CEO and Elevate President Jack Johnston said in an emailed statement to members last month. “As a cooperative, that’s what we do—we listen, we innovate, and we work together to meet local needs.”
A bold decision
The vision for Elevate actually began in 2015, when DMEA’s board voted to invest in locally owned broadband rather than rely on existing providers.
Johnston said the decision wasn’t simply about creating another internet company.
“It was solving a fundamental economic and quality-of-life problem for Montrose and Delta counties,” he said, noting many residents lacked access to dependable high-speed internet.
Before committing to the project, DMEA commissioned two independent business studies and conducted a third in-house analysis. Each concluded that a cooperative-owned broadband subsidiary could succeed because of the unmet demand for reliable internet service.
Support from members quickly followed.
“Once members caught wind it was a possibility, they reached out in droves to their board members to voice their support for the project,” Johnston said.
Building momentum
Elevate officially launched in June 2016 and connected its first customers that September.
One of those first customers was the Montrose Daily Press, selected in part because it needed better internet service and could help spread the word about the new cooperative venture. Johnston described those first installations as “euphoric.”
Demand quickly exceeded expectations.
“The team grossly underestimated how quickly people would adopt,” Johnston said. “Overall, we’ve received more than twice the take rates we originally projected.”
Construction accelerated in 2017 as crews expanded into additional neighborhoods and rural areas. By the following year, Elevate was reaching underserved communities throughout DMEA’s territory, bringing fiber service to residents who previously had limited or no high-speed internet options.
The expansion continued in 2019, when grant funding helped push construction into increasingly difficult-to-reach areas while broadband began emerging as an economic development tool for attracting businesses and supporting remote workers.
An essential service
The importance of broadband became unmistakable in 2020.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools, businesses and medical providers online, internet service became critical infrastructure almost overnight.
Johnston said Elevate shifted into “high gear” to keep expanding the network while helping meet the community’s growing need for reliable connectivity.
The pandemic also opened the door to big state and federal broadband funding.
Since its launch, Elevate has secured nearly $61 million in grants to extend fiber into rural portions of Montrose and Delta counties. Johnston said completing the planned network would have been far more difficult without that funding because construction costs ultimately exceeded early projections.
The years that followed brought additional milestones.
By 2021, broadband had become widely recognized alongside electricity and water as essential infrastructure. In 2022, Elevate introduced multi-gig internet service, bringing gig-plus speeds to homes and businesses across Western Colorado.
Construction continued at a rapid pace. The network surpassed 1,800 miles of fiber in 2023, reached more than 15,000 connected customers in 2024 and earlier this year expanded through the acquisition of former TDS Telecom customers, increasing its footprint across the region.
Looking ahead
Today, Elevate supports homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and public agencies throughout Montrose and Delta counties. Among its early projects was building a dedicated fiber network for the Montrose County School District, giving the district what Johnston described as one of the state’s most robust educational fiber networks.
Johnston said in his statement that the cooperative’s mission has remained unchanged since members first proposed the idea a decade ago.
“Because we’re locally owned, our success stays right here at home,” he said. “Every customer who chooses Elevate is supporting local jobs, local investments, and community initiatives that benefit our friends, neighbors, and future generations.”
Construction continues as Elevate works toward serving virtually all DMEA members.
Asked what success looks like over the next decade, Johnston pointed not to construction milestones or customer totals, but to the people using the network every day.
“In another 10 years,” he said, “success looks like happy customers who are continually recognizing Elevate as Montrose and Delta counties’ best internet provider.”
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
