FROM PARTY LINES TO FIBER LINES

75 Years of Connection, Innovation, and Community

Over the past 75 years, RTC Networks has transformed from its humble beginnings as a small rural telephone cooperative into one of the region’s most advanced telecommunications providers.

What began in 1951 as a mission to bring reliable telephone service to underserved farms and communities across western North Dakota evolved through decades of technological innovation—from hand-crank telephones and party lines to buried fiber optic infrastructure capable of delivering multi-gigabit internet speeds.

Founding a Cooperative for Rural Connectivity

Area residents and representatives from the telephone companies at Parshall, Plaza, Makoti, Ryder, Van Hook, and Sanish met in Roseglen and made a pivotal decision - to form a rural telephone cooperative named Reservation Mutual Aid Telephone Corporation. Their goal was clear: to bring modern, reliable communication services to rural communities.

RTC Networks, originally incorporated as Reservation Mutual Aid Telephone Corporation was formed when local farm mutual telephone groups recognized that rural communities were being left behind technologically. Instead of settling for piecemeal improvements, the newly formed cooperative pursued and was awarded financing through the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), which allowed the organization to build a fully modern dial telephone system from the ground up.

The early years were defined by rapid construction and expansion. RTC began acquiring neighboring telephone systems, including Sanish Independent Telephone Company and Van Hook Farmers Telephone Company. Temporary dial service was installed in New Town while permanent systems were being built, reflecting the urgency of bringing improved communications to rapidly growing rural communities. By 1954, RTC completed what was described as the first REA-financed dial telephone system in North Dakota, with fully automatic exchanges operating in New Town and Keene.

As RTC continued expanding both its infrastructure and service territory, the cooperative acquired exchanges in Parshall, Plaza, Makoti, Spencer, Norma, and Ryder while simultaneously building hundreds of miles of new rural telephone line. During this time, many residents still relied on magneto “hand crank” telephones connected to shared party lines. In 1957, the cooperative’s annual report proudly noted
RTC leadership had replaced the old hand-crank system with automatic dial service after investing heavily in modern switching equipment and central office buildings. RTC had expanded from two dial exchanges to seven, serving nearly 2,000 families across a massive rural territory. The company also completed a new headquarters facility in Parshall that included office space, a dial house, warehouse space, and a garage for maintaining the growing network.

Expansion and Modernization

The 1960s brought a shift in focus from simply expanding service to dramatically improving quality and reliability. During this period, the cooperative began replacing aging open-wire infrastructure with buried cable systems. The organization also embraced new microwave technology and “storm-proof” communications systems designed to improve reliability during harsh North Dakota weather. These improvements coincided with major national defense projects tied to the Minuteman missile program. RTC provided communications services to missile control facilities throughout the region, building specialized circuits and buried cable infrastructure that significantly advanced the network’s capabilities.

Another revolutionary advancement during the 1960s was the move away from party-line service, which required several households to share a single line, limiting privacy and service quality. RTC leadership recognized that subscribers increasingly expected private-line communications comparable to urban systems. By 1967, with overwhelming support from cooperative members, the conversion began. The cooperative launched a multi-year construction effort that required massive investments in buried cable, upgraded switching equipment, and central office modernization. It ultimately transformed the entire network. The modernization effort continued into the 1970s. The cooperative also implemented Direct Distance Dialing (DDD), allowing customers to place long-distance calls directly without operator assistance—an enormous convenience at the time. Cable TV became a reality for many member-owners during the 1980s and 1990s. And, of course, the offering of dialup internet, was a huge game changer. Many remember the beeps and buzzes of the internet connecting in those early days.

Entering the Digital and Broadband Era

As we reached the new millennium, technology continued to evolve rapidly. RTC transitioned from analog switching systems to digital technologies, expanded long-distance and data capabilities, and eventually entered the broadband internet era. As internet access became increasingly essential for homes, schools, farms, and businesses, RTC once again committed itself to major infrastructure investment, culminating in one of the cooperative’s most transformational achievements: the construction of a 100% fiber optic network. While many rural
areas across the nation continued to struggle with aging copper infrastructure and limited broadband access, RTC Networks invested in fiber-to-the-home technology capable of delivering dramatically faster and more reliable internet service. Today, RTC Networks offers broadband speeds up to 10 Gig, supports streaming television, managed Wi-Fi, business phone systems, smart home connectivity, and advanced communications services that would have been unimaginable when the cooperative was formed in 1951.

RTC Networks’ growth in the digital era extended beyond technology alone. Through strategic acquisitions and infrastructure investments, the
cooperative continually expanded its ability to serve rural communities. The acquisition of the Garrison, Kenmare, and Max exchanges in the 1990s marked another important step in RTC’s modernization journey.

Later, RTC expanded into Watford City and Alexander during one of western North Dakota’s fastest periods of growth, ensuring residents and businesses had access to reliable communications services during the Bakken boom. In 2022, the acquisition of Midstate Telephone Company and Midstate Communications expanded RTC’s reach by more than 25%, while ongoing fiber construction projects in East Fairview,
Fairview, and Wibaux demonstrated the cooperative’s continued commitment to underserved rural areas. These investments reflected RTC’s enduring belief that rural communities deserve access to the same cutting-edge technology and connectivity as anywhere else in the nation.

A Legacy of Innovation and Vision

The history of RTC Networks is ultimately a story of rural innovation and long-term vision. From hand-crank telephones and shared party lines to buried fiber optic networks and multi-gigabit broadband, RTC consistently embraces new technologies to serve its members. Over seven decades, the cooperative has repeatedly made bold infrastructure investments not only because its member owners want tomorrow’s
technology today, but also because RTC leadership believes rural communities deserve access to the communications systems of the future.