This month our own Mark LePere took the stage at WISPAPALOOZA 2026 in Las Vegas — the wireless internet industry’s biggest annual gathering — to talk about something we’re genuinely excited about: how we put AI agents to work inside the ETHX network.
We’re a small, locally owned Southwest Florida internet company. We don’t have the giant call centers or budgets the national carriers do. What we do have is a willingness to use the best tools available to punch above our weight — and lately, that means AI.
What we’re actually doing with AI
The theme of Mark’s talk was simple: AI should make a local team faster and more responsive — not replace the people who live in your community. A few of the ways we put it to work:
- Around-the-clock network monitoring. AI agents watch the network continuously, help spot problems early, and flag the things worth a human’s attention — so we often know about an issue before you do.
- Faster support, day and night. AI helps handle routine questions and after-hours contacts, so a password reset or a quick reboot doesn’t have to wait until morning — while anything that needs real judgment goes straight to our local team.
- Freeing up our people. Every routine task AI takes off our plate is time our technicians and support staff can spend on the work that actually needs a human — getting you back online and keeping the network healthy.
Why this matters for a local ISP
For years, the trade-off in internet was: go with a big national provider and get scale but no service, or go local and get great service but limited hours. We think AI is how a local provider gets to offer both — the responsiveness of a big operation with the “we’re your neighbors” service you can’t get from a national call center.
That’s the future we’re building at ETHX, and it was great to share it with the rest of the industry at WISPAPALOOZA — and to compare notes with other independent providers doing the same.
To the ETHX family across Lee and Charlotte Counties: this is what we’re investing in on your behalf. Questions about your service? You can always reach real people at 239-689-1000.
Related guides: The ETHX Difference · Our Story · No-Contract Internet in SWFL
Frequently asked questions
Does ETHX use AI for customer support?
Yes — we use AI agents to help monitor the network around the clock and to handle routine and after-hours questions so issues get caught and answered faster. A local Southwest Florida team stays behind it; AI handles the busywork, people handle the judgment calls.
Will I still reach a real person if I call ETHX?
Absolutely. AI helps us respond faster and cover after-hours, but ETHX is still your local provider — call or text 239-689-1000 and you'll reach real people in Southwest Florida. The AI makes the humans faster, it doesn't replace them.
What is WISPAPALOOZA?
WISPAPALOOZA is the wireless internet industry's largest annual conference, hosted by WISPA (the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association). WISPAPALOOZA 2026 was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, where ETHX leadership presented and met with other independent, locally owned providers.
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Locally owned internet for Southwest Florida — no contracts, no data caps, real local support.