[JoeAltmaier]

No idea about bigger cities. I'm in a rural community, with 300 subscribers to our local telephone office. We can get service just by calling the manager.

My grandfather was an initial stockholder in the company when it was formed. See, back then you bought a share, you got a line run to your farm. He needed the line so when the federal liquor tax man came into town, his friend could call and let him know. He'd throw the still in the wagon and head for the woods until the coast was clear.

When I was a kid, we still had a wooden box on the wall with a horn coming out the front (microphone) and a cloth-covered wire to an earpiece hanging on the switchhook out the side. You took the receiver off and rattled the switchhook to get the operator's attention - a little light would flash on her board. Told her who you wanted, she'd plug you to them and operate the ringer crank.

It's all automated now, and most of their revenue is cable services and internet. Plus fees for all traffic crossing our territory, which is between several middle-sized communities so that's a big deal. Amounts to some millions a year revenue! But not enough to install fibre until now.