President
Gen. Manager

History

1954	1970	1994	1996

	1957	1985	1995	1999

Facts About Co-ops

Community based telecom providers, such as RTMC, have always maintained a simple philosophy: to provide a variety of quality services, at affordable rates, to the residents and businesses they serve. Precisely because we are “community-based,” RTMC operates with the strong conviction that we serve not just “customers,” but neighbors and friends.

Did You Know?

• Community based telecom providers serve approximately 8% (13 million-14 million) of the telephone access lines in the U.S., but cover almost 40% of the land area.


• North Carolina cooperatives serve the most sparsely populated regions of the state, with an average of only 7.5 customers per mile — and densities as low as 5.1 customers per mile. This customer density is compared with 128 lines per square mile for non-rural carriers.


• North Carolina cooperatives provide high-quality service throughout their areas, with an average of only 2.37 trouble reports per 100 access lines.


• Community based telecom providers generally serve areas with limited local calling scopes: 70%-80% of customers of these companies can reach less than 5,000 other subscribers with a local call. In non-rural areas, 70% of customers can reach more than 25,000 lines with a local call.


• Despite the demographic and financial obstacles we face, community based telecom providers offer a similar array of service choices as available in urban mass markets. All North Carolina telephone cooperatives use digital switching technology, and 90% provide custom calling features, such as call waiting and Caller ID.


• In addition to their longstanding position as rural America’s communications foundation, community based providers serve as the telecom link to the information economy for millions of consumers. All North Carolina community based telecom providers offer toll-free, local access to the Internet in their areas, and more than 80% of residential and business access lines are equipped to offer high-speed Internet access, such as DSL.
  
• More than 90% of community based telecom providers give significant support to local and regional development programs. Some 85% offer educational programs to help local schools take full advantage of advanced technologies and services.


• North Carolina cooperative employees and Board members serve in key civic, cultural, and church roles in their communities, and they directly impact their local and regional economies by more than $57 million annually.