SRT Communications
Encyclopedia
SRT Communications is the largest telecommunications cooperative
in North Dakota
, serving over 50,000 people with telephone
, wireless
phone, broadband Internet
, security systems, and cable tv services.
The company is governed by a twelve member Board of Directors covering four districts. As a cooperative
, patronage capital credits are awarded to member customers. In June 2009 SRT Communications distributed over $1.2 million in capital credit checks to members with local telephone service.
board of directors established the Souris River Telephone Mutal Aid Corporation to bring telephone service to those living in the rural areas of McHenry
and Ward Counties
. The first telephone exchange
, the town of Martin, was purchased for $500 and had 82 telephone customers. In 1960, Minot Air Force Base
became SRT's largest phone exchange, and by 1970 rotary dial
telephones were replaced with touch pad style phones. In 1980, SRT began to sell cable television service, first available in the town of Westhope
.
Although telephone cooperatives usually operate within set boundaries, in 1990 SRT reached outside their traditional territory to install telephone wire throughout the 17 floors of the North Dakota State Capitol building. Again expanding their offerings, in 1990 SRT became an agent to CommNet 2000, handling a new cellular phone system in Minot, and in 1992 opened their own long distance company. In 1994 SRT acquired Minot Telephone Company (formerly Northern States Power Telephone), the states largest independent phone company serving approximately 25,000 lines in Minot, Burlington and Surrey.
In the late 1990s SRT added DSL Internet and Wireless PCS to their services, and in 2007 purchased the Velva telephone exchange from North Dakota Telephone Company in Devils Lake.
SRT Communications joined the State of North Dakota in suing telemarketing company WebSmart Interactive in 2003. The company owed SRT over $140,000 in unpaid bills.
In 2004, SRT employees James Newman and Dennis Schott were recognized by the Excellence in Leadership Award Program of the National Telecommunication Cooperative Association for their contributions to rural telecommunications in North Dakota.
According to general manager Steve Lysne, SRT Communications has built much of the infrastructure for rural broadband
in North Dakota and would not need funds from the 2009 Stimulus Package
. SRT has worked to expand the number of 9-1-1
towers in Ward County and was awarded a Community Public Safety Award from the Ward County Emergency Management Department in 2008.
Today, as North Dakota's largest telephone cooperative, SRT Communications, Inc. employs over 200 people and serves approximately 50,000 telephone customers in north central North Dakota.
SRT offers landline telephone, long distance, and calling features such as voice mail and caller ID.
Broadband Internet
SRT provides Internet service to rural and city homes through DSL and MMDS technology.
Wireless Phones
SRT offers Wireless Personal Communication Service phone technology similar to cellular phone service.
Cable Television
Digital television
, high-definition television
, and DVR
services are available, but limited to 18 area communities.
Security Systems
Home and business security systems are monitored 24 hours by a UL
approved monitoring station.
Personal Emergency Response Systems
SRT offers PERS systems in which a person can push a button to alert the 24 hour monitoring station to contact family or authorities in case of a fall, break in, or other emergency.
Business Services
SRT provides advanced voice, data and wireless communications systems to businesses of all sizes.
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, serving over 50,000 people with telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, wireless
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
phone, broadband Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, security systems, and cable tv services.
The company is governed by a twelve member Board of Directors covering four districts. As a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
, patronage capital credits are awarded to member customers. In June 2009 SRT Communications distributed over $1.2 million in capital credit checks to members with local telephone service.
History and milestones
In 1951, the Verendrye Electric CooperativeVerendrye Electric Cooperative
Verendrye Electric Cooperative is a public utility cooperative based in Velva, North Dakota, but also has a service center in Minot. It serves rural consumers across a seven-county area in north central North Dakota, but the bulk of its service area lies within Ward and McHenry counties...
board of directors established the Souris River Telephone Mutal Aid Corporation to bring telephone service to those living in the rural areas of McHenry
McHenry County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Cottonwood Lake National Wildlife Refuge*J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge *Wintering River National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
and Ward Counties
Ward County, North Dakota
-National protected areas:*Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge *Hiddenwood National Wildlife Refuge *Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:...
. The first telephone exchange
Telephone exchange
In the field of telecommunications, a telephone exchange or telephone switch is a system of electronic components that connects telephone calls...
, the town of Martin, was purchased for $500 and had 82 telephone customers. In 1960, Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base
Minot Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, north of the city of Minot. In the 2010 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5,521....
became SRT's largest phone exchange, and by 1970 rotary dial
Rotary dial
The rotary dial is a device mounted on or in a telephone or switchboard that is designed to send electrical pulses, known as pulse dialing, corresponding to the number dialed. The early form of the rotary dial used lugs on a finger plate instead of holes. Almon Brown Strowger filed the first patent...
telephones were replaced with touch pad style phones. In 1980, SRT began to sell cable television service, first available in the town of Westhope
Westhope, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 533 people, 228 households, and 134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,663.5 people per square mile . There were 268 housing units at an average density of 836.5 per square mile...
.
Although telephone cooperatives usually operate within set boundaries, in 1990 SRT reached outside their traditional territory to install telephone wire throughout the 17 floors of the North Dakota State Capitol building. Again expanding their offerings, in 1990 SRT became an agent to CommNet 2000, handling a new cellular phone system in Minot, and in 1992 opened their own long distance company. In 1994 SRT acquired Minot Telephone Company (formerly Northern States Power Telephone), the states largest independent phone company serving approximately 25,000 lines in Minot, Burlington and Surrey.
In the late 1990s SRT added DSL Internet and Wireless PCS to their services, and in 2007 purchased the Velva telephone exchange from North Dakota Telephone Company in Devils Lake.
SRT Communications joined the State of North Dakota in suing telemarketing company WebSmart Interactive in 2003. The company owed SRT over $140,000 in unpaid bills.
In 2004, SRT employees James Newman and Dennis Schott were recognized by the Excellence in Leadership Award Program of the National Telecommunication Cooperative Association for their contributions to rural telecommunications in North Dakota.
According to general manager Steve Lysne, SRT Communications has built much of the infrastructure for rural broadband
Broadband Internet access
Broadband Internet access, often shortened to just "broadband", is a high data rate, low-latency connection to the Internet— typically contrasted with dial-up access using a 56 kbit/s modem or satellite Internet with inherently high latency....
in North Dakota and would not need funds from the 2009 Stimulus Package
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA and commonly referred to as the Stimulus or The Recovery Act, is an economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th United States Congress in February 2009 and signed into law on February 17, 2009, by President Barack Obama.To...
. SRT has worked to expand the number of 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
towers in Ward County and was awarded a Community Public Safety Award from the Ward County Emergency Management Department in 2008.
Today, as North Dakota's largest telephone cooperative, SRT Communications, Inc. employs over 200 people and serves approximately 50,000 telephone customers in north central North Dakota.
Products and services
TelephoneSRT offers landline telephone, long distance, and calling features such as voice mail and caller ID.
Broadband Internet
SRT provides Internet service to rural and city homes through DSL and MMDS technology.
Wireless Phones
SRT offers Wireless Personal Communication Service phone technology similar to cellular phone service.
Cable Television
Digital television
Digital television
Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...
, high-definition television
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
, and DVR
DVR
The initialism "DVR", when used by itself, can refer to:* Digital video recorder* Discrete valuation ring* Distance-vector routing* Direct volume rendering* Derwent Valley Railway * Devco Railway...
services are available, but limited to 18 area communities.
Security Systems
Home and business security systems are monitored 24 hours by a UL
UL
Ul may refer to:* Ul , a lunar deity in Vanuatuan mythology* Ul , a Portuguese freguesia in the Oliveira de Azemeis municipality* 3271 Ul, an asteroidUL may also refer to:* Underwriters Laboratories, U.S...
approved monitoring station.
Personal Emergency Response Systems
SRT offers PERS systems in which a person can push a button to alert the 24 hour monitoring station to contact family or authorities in case of a fall, break in, or other emergency.
Business Services
SRT provides advanced voice, data and wireless communications systems to businesses of all sizes.