May Newsletter 2025

Fort Dodge Fiber
Apr 30
4 min read

Fiber Drop Progress – Here’s What’s Happening!

Our drop contractors are hard at work burying fiber for customers who confirmed their service plans between November 2024 and April 29, 2025. To work efficiently, our crews focus on completing several homes in a specific area—called a “cabinet”—before moving on to the next. This strategy reduces equipment transport time and allows us to complete more fiber drops each day.

Weather Impact on Fiber Drop Timeline

Recent heavy rain may delay our progress in some areas. When the ground is too saturated, it's not safe or practical to use our machinery—and we want to avoid causing unnecessary damage to your yard.

Under normal conditions, you may notice a slight bury scar where the fiber was installed. This is temporary and should heal naturally over time, especially with a little watering.

You’ll know we’re getting close to your fiber drop when you see:

White paint lines and white flags marking the planned fiber path on your property.
Utility locators arriving to mark existing underground services (this is a required step before we can bury fiber).

Once locates are cleared through other utility crews, our crews will return to bury the fiber and connect it to the gray Fort Dodge Fiber box on your home. After your drop is complete, we’ll send you an email with a link to schedule your installation.

⏭️ Next round of fiber drops will be submitted in mid-May.

📢 Important Reminder: No Confirmation = No Fiber Drop!

A fiber drop will not be completed unless your plan is confirmed. If you didn’t receive an email to confirm your plan, call us so we can verify your email address.

What's the Difference Between Public and Private Utilities?

When preparing for your fiber drop, it's important to understand the difference between public and private utilities, especially when it comes to locating underground lines.

🔌 Public UtilitiesThese are services provided by public utility companies and are typically marked by professional locating services before any digging begins. They include:

Electric power lines (up to your meter)
Natural gas lines
Water and sewer mains
Public communication lines (like phone or cable)

Our team will call in locates for these utilities, and the appropriate companies will mark them—usually with colored flags or paint.

🏡 Private UtilitiesThese are underground lines installed by you or a previous property owner and are not marked by public locators. Examples include:

Irrigation/sprinkler systems
Invisible dog fences
Propane lines
Underground wiring to sheds, garages, or yard lights
Septic or private water lines

📌 It’s the customer’s responsibility to identify and mark private utilities before work begins. If you're unsure what might be buried on your property, it's best to consult any installation records or call a local professional locator service.

You will receive a post card from our contractor when they are ready for you to mark your private utilities.

What If I Registered For 'Drop Only'?

Thanks for your interest in Fort Dodge Fiber! At this time, we are prioritizing drops for customers who are ready to take service. This helps reduce their wait time and keeps the drop free of charge for as many people as possible.

By focusing on active connections, we demonstrate a return on investment that allows us to continue offering this step at no cost.

When you’re ready to get connected, just give us a call!

Don’t Have a Gray Box on Your Home Yet?

If there’s no gray Fort Dodge Fiber box installed, you’ll need to schedule a site survey before we can move forward with your drop or installation.🔍 Why Site Surveys Matter:

✅ Plan the fiber route from street to home

✅ Identify private utilities (like irrigation lines or dog fences)

✅ Install the gray box (required for service!)

✅ Avoid delays and speed up installation

✅ Answer your questions and share the timeline

📞 Call 515-515-5000 today to schedule your site survey!

Want Alerts About Maintenance or Outages?

Stay in the loop by signing up for email notifications!

1️⃣ Visit FortDodgeFiber.com

2️⃣ Scroll to the bottom and click Outages/Alerts

3️⃣ Select Get Updates to receive timely info straight to your inbox

How to Change Your Plan Anytime from Your Customer Portal

Need more speed? Want to adjust your plan? You can make changes anytime through your Fort Dodge Fiber Customer Portal — it's quick and easy! Log in to your account at FortDodgeFiber.com

Here’s how:

1️⃣ Select Manage Plan

4️⃣ Choose the plan that best fits your needs

5️⃣ Confirm your selection—and you’re done!

Your new plan will take effect shortly!

Need help or have questions? Give our Customer Experience Team a call at

515-515-5000—we’re happy to help!

Thinking About Moving On From Cable?

Thinking about moving on from cable but unsure where to begin or how it all works? You're not alone! While about half the country has moved on from traditional TV, many are reluctant because they just don't understand how to do it.

But Streaming your Live TV through your TV offers a fantastic alternative, letting you watch your favorite channels and shows without the hassles (or price) of traditional cable. Here's your comprehensive guide to making the switch to streaming for your Live TV.

Streaming 101

At your installation, you will receive a Welcome Packet. This Welcome Packet will include:

✔ Account Details & Security Phrase – A place to store your information

✔ Billing Information – First invoice details, monthly billing schedule, and payment options. IMPORTANT: Fort Dodge Fiber invoices a month in advance, meaning your first invoice will be the entire next month plus proration from the dates of installation.✔ Paperless Billing Reminder – Invoices will be emailed on the 1st of each month and due on the 15th.✔ Customer Payment Portal Instructions – Steps to access your account online, access invoices, and manage payments methods online including autopay!