Fast, Reliable, and Built for Esports: Inside SDN’s Network
In the world of esports, where milliseconds can make the difference between victory and defeat, a reliable and high-performance network isn’t just a luxury — it’s a necessity.
Whether gamers are playing “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” and are down to their last life or playing “Rocket League” with 10 seconds left to score a game-tying goal, a connection delay or slowdown can make playing online a lot less fun and a lot more frustrating.
The backbone of a successful and enjoyable esports tournament as well as online gaming with a friend across the country is a robust and dependable network infrastructure.
SDN Communications and its 17 member-owner companies, proud supporters of Fenworks and esports in South Dakota, boast a 50,000-mile fiber network across the region that will keep you on top of your game.
SDN and its members support more than 10 high school esports programs across South Dakota, and they are bringing the free SoDak Circuit esports event back to Sioux Falls on Oct. 11, 2025. The 2024 event saw hundreds of gamers test their skills for cash prizes in a family-friendly setting.
Why is SDN’s network so important for esports gamers? Here are a few reasons:
Low latency gives gamers an edge
Our fiber network is designed to minimize latency, which is the time it takes for data to travel from one point to another. In esports, low latency is crucial because it directly impacts the responsiveness of game controls. With our ultra-low latency connections, players experience near-instantaneous communication with the game servers, which is vital for high-stakes competition.
Golden West Telecommunications, which serves a large portion of western South Dakota as well as communities such as Hartford and Dell Rapids, began its transition from copper connections to fiber-optic cable more than a decade ago. So far, more than 80% of its customers have been upgraded to fiber internet. Golden West is a sponsor of Hot Springs’ esports team.
“With fast internet speeds, residents have additional educational opportunities … and they can stream high-definition programming or play immersive video games with competitors around the world,” Golden West Marketing and Communications Manager Dee Sleep said.
High bandwidth keeps up with games
Esports games, especially those with high-definition graphics or large player counts, require substantial bandwidth to deliver smooth and uninterrupted gameplay. SDN’s fiber network provides ample bandwidth to handle the intense data demands of these games, ensuring that players experience crisp, high-quality visuals.
Golden West offers speeds between 250 Mbps up to 1 Gig, giving gamers more than enough bandwidth to secure a Victory Royale (you won’t be able to blame your internet connection, at least).
And West River Telecom, which covers parts of Corson, Walworth and Dewey counties in northern South Dakota as well as several counties in North Dakota, offers upload/download speeds up to 10 Gig a second.
“We strive to keep our members and community connected to the outside world for education, entertainment and economic purposes,” WRT Marketing Manager Beth Krause said.
Diverse network paths for enhanced stability
One of the key advantages of SDN’s network is its diversity and multiple paths, which significantly enhance connection stability. Unlike traditional networks that rely on a single route for data transmission, the member-owner network is designed with multiple redundant paths.
This means that if one route encounters a problem or a disruption (such as a fiber cut), the network can automatically reroute traffic through alternate pathways, resulting in uninterrupted connectivity.
For esports tournaments, where continuous and stable connections are critical, this redundancy translates into a smoother, more reliable gaming experience.
“Think of it like a circle or a highway,” SDN Network Architect Gary Glissendorf said. “There’s a south route, but there’s also a north route and they have to be different. … And there’s usually an event weekly on one of those circles, but because of the diversity and the electronics in place, people don’t even notice.”
A reliable network for all users
Downtime or disruptions can cause frustrations for an esports event or an online match of “Rocket League” or “League of Legends”. SDN’s network design emphasizes reliability and redundancy by employing advanced technologies to detect and address potential issues before they affect any event big or small – whether it’s a presentation at work, streaming pro football or gaming online.
“Golden West continuously monitors its network and performs regular proactive maintenance for optimum performance,” Sleep said. “Even during power outages, the cooperative works to keep services running, which can include operating remote equipment on generators that require refueling as long as weather and road conditions allow.”
Exceptional customer service and fast response times
SDN and its members pride themselves on delivering outstanding customer service. Our dedicated support teams are available around the clock to address any issues that may arise.
“We have a team of people who address these issues all day and every day,” said Randy Northrup, sales and Marketing Manager with SDN member-owner company Santel Communications, which is based in Woonsocket. “We can access the router through the internet to help diagnose the issue and give them recommendations for why their connection is down.”
By providing a top-tier network experience, SDN Communications is not only supporting the success of esports but also reinforcing a commitment to advancing the digital infrastructure of South Dakota.
“A strong, reliable network is the foundation of esports, and we’re thrilled to play a role in supporting it in South Dakota,” SDN Communications Vice President of Sales and Marketing Ryan Dutton said.