In 1954, when ITC was still Brookings Lake Telephone and Deuel Telephone Cooperative, a loaf of bread cost fifteen cents - not too bad considering the average annual salary was under $3,000. Prime-time meant "I Love Lucy," "Gunsmoke," and "Lassie." And while most TV's were black and white, the great outdoors was always in full color. Life was good.
On the other hand, a heart attack was most likely fatal, and there was no such thing as dialing "911" for help. A good education meant finishing the eighth grade, and college was typically reserved for the privileged. In ways such as these, our lives are better today. One thing is sure - things have changed.
Over the years, ITC has been very fortunate to work with people who have had a vision for our future. Because the members of our original Boards from Brookings Lake Telephone Company and Deuel Telephone Cooperative wanted better telecommunications for their members, ITC moved into the future with a reputation for being a leader in the telecommunications industry. What began as a simple desire for our board members to turn an unreliable telephone service into the modern, quality service it is today has served us well over the years. ITC boards have set a course for ITC that included a vision for new technologies such as high-speed Internet and Digital television. Today, ITC offers phone service, Fiber-Fast Internet, and in some areas, Digital TV. ITC also has several business-specific services.
In 2021, ITC celebrated being 100% Fiber-Fast. It was quite an undertaking that started in 2006. Check out the animation below to follow the conversion of our footprint to fiber. Once the plan was in place to covert our current membership, we looked to expand. The expansions are noted in the animation as well.
What will be next? You can count on ITC to strive to stay on top of the ever-changing technologies. You can also count on your local Coop to work hard at keeping service rates affordable. Together, we can make ITC a Cooperative you can be proud of, one that will most certainly continue to thrive well into the future.