Phone company plans statewide Internet service push

Wisconsin Rapids — A telephone company in central Wisconsin has announced its plans to expand statewide with a name change and new offerings of high-speed Internet and voice over IP services.

Solarus, formerly Wood County Telephone Company, serves about 28,000 customers. CEO Douglas Wenzlaff told reporters the company plans to expand into Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison and Eau Claire. Its existing base is in communities such as Wisconsin Rapids, also its headquarters, Stevens Point and Marshfield.

The name change was intended to give more credibility to the company outside its home community.

Solarus operates three subsidiaries, Datawave, T-net and Go2America, which Wenzlaff told reporters would be affected by the name change.