CTC Receives USDA Award to Expand Broadband Internet

Click here for the WDIO story about our Iron Range fiber project.

Brainerd, MN – Today, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky announced that USDA has invested $11 million in three, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 1,395 rural households and nearly 120 businesses throughout several counties in Minnesota and northern Iowa. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments.READ MORE

Capital Credits

A quick tutorial on how they benefit you, our members. CTC is organized as a cooperative, owned by our members: the people who use our services. View the PDF document.

CTC Board of Directors Appoints Westbrock as CEO/General Manager

The Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) Board of Directors unanimously elected Kristi Westbrock as Chief Executive Officer/General Manager. Westbrock succeeds CTC’s current CEO/General Manager Kevin Larson who announced his retirement from CTC at the company’s Annual Meeting on June 6, 2018. Kevin’s retirement date from the CEO position at CTC will be June 30, 2018.

“The CTC Board of Directors is delighted that Kristi has accepted the CEO/General Manager position. We are confident that Kristi will continue to move our Cooperative forward with the best interest of our members in mind,” states Morris Nelson, Chairperson of the Board of Directors. “We also thank Kevin for his dedication and commitment to the Cooperative for the past 17 years. Kevin has many accomplishments over his tenure, including leading the fiber to the home project to our original ten service areas.”

Westbrock currently is CTC’s COO/Assistant General Manager and has been with CTC since 2007. “I am confident in Kristi’s abilities and excited for the future of our Cooperative,” states Larson. “We are very fortunate to have someone as talented and thoughtful as Kristi to step into this position.”

“I want to thank the Board of Directors and Kevin for their leadership and for this opportunity,” comments Westbrock. “Serving the membership of CTC as the CEO is an honor. CTC is progressive in technology while serving the needs of rural America. This matches our aspirations at CTC of keeping our small towns vibrant, our farmers connected, our education systems advancing, and our infrastructure strong.”

Westbrock is a native of Browns Valley, MN. She has been employed with CTC for 10 years and has 21 total years of telecommunications experience. Westbrock currently serves as a national Trustee for the Group Health Plan of the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, a Trustee for the Initiative Foundation and the Past-Chair of the Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce.

CTC Board of Directors Elections

CTC is accepting applications from members that are interested in joining the CTC Board of Directors for Director District 3 – Mission, Outing or Director District 4 – Leader, Motley, Pillager, Staples.

Interested individuals must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a member in good standing and subscribe to CTC telephone service.
• Reside within District 3 or District 4 service territory.
• Have the skills, interest and time to devote to overseeing CTC business.
• Attend 12 monthly meetings, plus other industry assemblies and training.

Members of the CTC Board of Directors are responsible for representing the Cooperative membership and for developing strategies, policies and objectives for the Cooperative.

Those interested in becoming a candidate for District 3 or District 4 should contact our office at 218-454-1120 for an application.

Applications must be received by March 8, 2018.

Board of Director Applications are Now Available

Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) is accepting applications from members that are interested in joining the CTC Board of Directors for a vacant Director position in District 3- Mission/Outing.

Interested individuals must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a member in good standing and subscribe to CTC telephone service.
• Reside within the Mission (765) or Outing (792) service territory.
• Have the skills, interest and time to devote to overseeing CTC business.
• Attend 12 monthly meetings, plus other industry assemblies and training.
• Background check required.

Members of the CTC Board of Directors are responsible for representing the Cooperative membership and for developing strategies, policies and objectives for the Cooperative.

Those interested in becoming a candidate for District 3 should contact our office at 218-454-1120 for an application.

Applications must be received by September 28, 2017.

Phone Scams

There have been recent calls from phone scammers calling people in the area stating they are with CTC (or your local energy company), these scammers tell people that they have a past due bill and they will turn off your services immediately if they don’t receive a credit card payment immediately over the phone. These are very well planned scams and they are prepared to answer your questions.

CTC would never demand a credit card over the phone and turn your services off immediately if you don’t pay. If you receive a similar call please do not give them any information, rather hang up and call into CTC at 218-454-1234 and we can verify your account for you.

Thank you

CTC Board of Directors Elections

Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) is accepting applications from members that are interested in joining the CTC Board of Directors for Director District 1 – Lincoln, Randall, Little Falls or Director District 4 – Leader, Motley, Pillager, Staples.

Interested individuals must meet the following qualifications:

• Be a member in good standing and subscribe to CTC telephone service.
• Reside within District 1 or District 4 service territory.
• Have the skills, interest and time to devote to overseeing CTC business.
• Attend 12 monthly meetings, plus other industry assemblies and training.

 
Members of the CTC Board of Directors are responsible for representing the Cooperative membership and for developing strategies, policies and objectives for the Cooperative.

Those interested in becoming a candidate for District 1 or District 4 should print and mail the following application:

2017 CTC Board Application

Mail the application to:

CTC
1102 Madison Street
P.O. Box 972
Brainerd, MN 56401

Applications must be received by March 8, 2017.

CTC Signs Management Agreement with Lake County

Brainerd, MN – November 7, 2016 – Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) announced a partnership with Lake County for the management of Lake Connections.

CTC who operates their own fiber optic network in the Brainerd Lakes Area has also worked with other rural telecommunication companies with the management and implementation of their networks.

“Lake Connections has a great network which offers so much value to the businesses and residents in the community. We look forward to working with Lake Connections on expanding their network and services. As a rural provider for 66 years, we have expansive knowledge and experience on our team and we feel we’re a great compliment to Lake Connections and their employees,” Stated Kevin Larson, CEO/General Manager of CTC.

“Our main objective is to get as many customers hooked up to fiber optics as quick as we can” states Joe Buttweiler, Partnership Development Manager at CTC. “We feel getting customers connected to High Speed Internet in the area is a priority for us.”

CTC will work with Lake Connections on Sales, Marketing, Accounting, Technical and Operations Management of the company.

CTC to Deliver High Speed Internet to Long Prairie

Brainerd, MN – November 7, 2016 – Consolidated Telecommunications Company (CTC) recently reached an agreement with the City of Long Prairie to construct a fiber optic network to businesses and homes in the area, which will deliver Internet speeds up to 1Gbps (1,000 Mbps).

“We’re really excited about this opportunity” states Joe Buttweiler of CTC. “CTC has a long history of building fiber optic networks to rural communities in need of High Speed Internet services. Not only will residents and businesses benefit from the service, it will also help drive economic development in the area.”

CTC will begin construction spring of 2017, with many homes and businesses getting hooked up with service by the end of the year. The City of Long Prairie will bond to finance the network, with CTC leasing the network from the City.

In addition to offering High Speed Internet, CTC will also be offering residents phone services and business phone services including hosted phone systems and special access circuits.

CTC Capital Credit FAQ

Just one of the advantages of being a member/owner of a cooperative is sharing in its success. Consolidated Telecommunications is proud to provide its member-owners with affordable rates. Your cooperative is equally proud to have returned to its members, over the years in the form of capital credits.

What are capital credits?

CTC is a cooperative, owned by its members so it does not necessarily earn profits. Instead, if revenues exceed the cost of doing business (expenses), the co-op has earned “margins” (profits). Each year, margins earned are assigned to members in proportion to the amount paid during that year… these are capital credits. Capital Credits can also be allocated in offering new and upgraded telecommunication services.

What is the difference between an allocation and a retirement?

Each year your portion, of any margins that CTC may have are, “allocated” or assigned. When the board decides to “retire” those allocations is when you get your money.

Then how are my capital credit allocations used until they are retired to me?

That money is used for operating capital. It reduces the need for your co-op to borrow money.

Do I need to be a member for a certain amount of time before I am eligible to receive capital credits?

No. As soon as you become a member you are eligible.

Can I use my allocation against my bill?

No, the allocation is an assignment; the board must vote on the retirement of that money.

If the Board decides not to retire capital credits do I lose my money?

No, it is still assigned to you to be retired at a later date. In order to keep our costs low the cooperative runs as tightly as possible. The cost to upgrade our network is rising, weather related problems all can play into the cooperatives costs.

Is interest paid on capital credits?

No.

What happens to my money if I leave CTC?

The money allocated to you during your membership will be sent to you as it is retired. It is the member’s responsibility to keep the cooperative informed of address changes.

What if I should die before they are retired?

The Cooperative requires proof that you are the legal recipient of the deceased estate. You must show all the documents stating you are the heir and sign a claim form.

This year you will notice your Capital Credit Allocation on a separate page of your bill: