West River Cooperative Telephone Company

What West River Cooperative Telephone Company does

West River Cooperative Telephone Company (WRCTC) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative founded in 1953 and headquartered in Bison, South Dakota, delivering telephone, fiber broadband, and cable television services to approximately 3,000 members across roughly 10 communities in northwest South Dakota (Bison, Lemmon, Buffalo, Newell, Meadow, Sorum, Camp Crook, Nisland, Prairie City, Reva) plus selected cable TV territories in Faith, McIntosh, McLaughlin, Timber Lake, and Selfridge, ND. The company is governed by a nine-member board elected by members on a one-member-one-vote basis and operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Stateline Telecommunications (acquired 1996, operating Lemmon/Newell/Nisland exchanges) and West River Cable Television (formed 1982, reorganized as subsidiary in 2004).

The technology stack is built around a 100% Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network completed in 2011, with fiber run underground to mitigate harsh Plains weather, delivering symmetric speeds of 100/100, 150/150, and 250/250 Mbps with no data caps. Core infrastructure also includes a digital host/remote central office architecture (Bison host serving seven remote switches), FiberVision digital cable TV (Silver/Gold/Platinum tiers with HBO/Cinemax/Starz/Showtime add-ons), and a managed WiFi layer using the CommandIQ app with bundled ProtectIQ, ExperienceIQ, and MyPrioritiesIQ features. Business offerings include Avaya IP Office telephone systems, capacity dedicated circuits, network wiring, and paging systems, with third-party integrations for Bark parental controls, VIPRE antivirus, and WatchTVEverywhere streaming.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly subscriptions on internet (~$46–$131), phone (~$36.95 standalone), FiberVision TV ($47–$116), and bundled ActPak packages (up to $246/month for Platinum triple-play at 250 Mbps). Distribution is exclusively regional via owned fiber/cable plant in the cooperative's ILEC-territory service area, with sales conducted through the Bison office walk-in, phone-based inside sales, web forms, and direct outreach to local businesses. Membership, scholarships (WRCTC/GEC, Peacock, FRS), and annual meetings serve as community-led retention/acquisition levers. Operating economics are tempered by historical cable-TV losses — Timber Lake/McLaughlin/Selfridge (Sep 2014), Faith (Nov 2015), and McIntosh (Nov 2016) systems were shut down due to subscriber losses.

Name

West River Cooperative Telephone Company

Legal name

West River Cooperative Telephone Company, Inc.

Website

https://sdplains.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

West River Cooperative Telephone Company is a member-owned cooperative providing telephone, fiber-to-the-home broadband, and cable television services to roughly 3,000 members across approximately 10 communities in northwest South Dakota, governed by a board elected on a one-member-one-vote basis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rural Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Wired Telecommunications Carriers (517111), Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Broadband & Cooperative Fiber Operators (HDAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial (HFC) Cable Operators (HDAIACAA), Business Messaging & Team Collaboration (HDAIAHAE)

Keywords

• Rural telecommunications services
• Fiber internet broadband
• Cable television service
• Business telephone systems
• Cooperative telecom provider

Headquarters

HQ city

Bison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Internet Services: Monthly subscription fees for broadband internet access at various speed tiers (100/100, 150/150, 250/250 Mbps). Includes unlimited data with no caps, overages, or speed reductions. Optional Managed WiFi add-on at $10/month.
2. Phone Services: Monthly subscription for local phone service with unlimited local calling. Additional revenue from long-distance plans (Freedom Minutes, Real Deal, Right on the Money, Any Time Any Where) with per-minute or package-based pricing.
3. Cable Television (FiberVision TV): Monthly subscription for video programming in Silver ($47), Gold ($107), and Platinum ($116) packages. Additional revenue from add-on movie channels (HBO $18, Cinemax $14, Starz $14, Showtime/TMC $10.99), DVR service ($12/month), set-top boxes ($5/month each), and equipment protection ($5/month).
4. Bundled Services (ActPak): Bundled packages combining internet, phone, and/or TV services at discounted rates compared to individual services. Residential-only bundles offering savings versus standalone services.
5. Business Telephone Systems: Avaya IP Office business telephone systems and related services for business customers including hospitality telephone systems and voice processing systems. Revenue from equipment sales, installation, and ongoing service.
6. One-time Fees: Installation deposits ($100, refunded after 12 months of on-time payments), late fees ($10), and 911 fees ($2 for South Dakota residents).
7. Long Distance Services: Long-distance calling plans with various minute packages. Freedom Minutes plans (150 min/$10, 200 min/$15, 300 min/$20, 400 min/$30) and per-minute plans (10.9-20 cents/minute).
8. Lifeline/Link Up Programs: Government-supported Lifeline program providing monthly credits ($9.25 for broadband, $5.25 for voice-only) and Tribal Link Up for connection charge reductions on qualifying tribal lands.
9. Bark Parental Controls: Parental monitoring and content management service at $12/month for comprehensive family online safety features.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

West River Cooperative Telephone Company (WRCTC) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative delivering local and long-distance phone service, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) high-speed broadband internet, and digital cable television (FiberVision TV) to residential and business customers across rural northwest South Dakota. The company also sells business communication systems (Avaya IP Office), managed Wi-Fi, paging systems, and dedicated capacity circuits to local businesses.

Product overview

West River Cooperative Telephone Company (WRCTC) is a telecommunications cooperative providing phone, high-speed internet, and cable television services to rural northwest South Dakota communities. The company operates a 100% fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network with no data caps. Core offerings include landline Phone Service with custom calling features, Fiber-optic Internet at three speed tiers (100/100, 150/150, 250/250 Mbps), and FiberVision TV with Silver, Gold, and Platinum channel packages. The product portfolio includes residential ActPak Bundles combining these services, WRCTC Managed WiFi with security features (ProtectIQ, ExperienceIQ), and business solutions (Avaya IP Office telephone systems, network wiring, and high-capacity dedicated circuits). Additional services include Long Distance plans, Custom Calling Features, Webmail, Bark parental controls, and Lifeline/Link Up government assistance programs. The company serves approximately 3,000 members across Lemmon, Bison, Buffalo, Newell, Meadow, Sorum, Camp Crook, Nisland, Prairie City, and Reva.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• FTTH project completed in 2011 enabling broadband for all subscribers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Galaxy (Cable Company)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2005West River Cable Television purchased cable television subscribers in Newell from Galaxy in July 2005, expanding service territory.
• Midcontinent CommunicationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2004WRCTC's subsidiary West River Cable Television purchased cable television operations in Faith, McIntosh, McLaughlin, Timber Lake, and Selfridge (ND) from Midcontinent Communications in August 2004. Total new subscriber base of 1,039 at purchase.
• AvayacoreTechnology or IntegrationAvaya is the technology partner for WRCTC's business telephone systems. WRCTC uses Avaya IP Office systems for business customers, offering various models for executives, administrative staff, receptionists, and walkup users. WRCTC technicians match the right phone model to customer needs.
• Grand Electric CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrand Electric Cooperative's Board of Directors served on the original committee to organize WRCTC in 1950. Grand Electric and WRCTC co-sponsor the $1,000 WRCTC/GEC Scholarship for high school seniors. Both are member-owned electric and telephone cooperatives serving northwest South Dakota.
• Martin and AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMartin and Associates from Mitchell were hired for initial design and staking of the CATV system in 1981-1982.
• Thomas ConstructionminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThomas Construction built the original CATV system in Bison in 1982.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Golden West Telecommunications: South Dakota-based member-owned cooperative offering fiber internet, phone, and TV across rural western SD communities. Direct comparable in cooperative structure, FTTH footprint, and triple-play bundles.
• Venture Communications Cooperative: Member-owned cooperative providing fiber broadband, telephone, and television in rural South Dakota. Closely comparable in governance model, geographic footprint, and bundled residential services.
• Range Telephone Cooperative: Wyoming-based rural cooperative offering fiber broadband, phone, and managed WiFi services. Closely comparable in scale, cooperative model, and rural FTTH infrastructure deployment.
• RT Communications: Wyoming-based member-owned cooperative telecommunications company offering fiber, voice, and video. Comparable in cooperative governance, rural FTTH model, and triple-play bundles.
• Consolidated Telephone Company: Rural Minnesota cooperative providing fiber, voice, and video to member-customers. Similar cooperative structure, rural service focus, and FTTH-driven product set with comparable ARPU tiers.
• Dickey Rural Telephone: Member-owned cooperative operating in North Dakota and northern South Dakota with fiber internet, voice, and video. Closely comparable as a neighboring regional cooperative with similar triple-play offering.
• Northern Valley Communications: North Dakota-based rural cooperative providing fiber, telephone, and TV across its member territory. Comparable cooperative structure and operating model in adjacent geography.

Broad incumbents

• Midcontinent Communications (Midco): Regional cable/telecom provider serving parts of SD, ND, MN, and WI from which WRCTC acquired cable assets in 2004. Much larger and broader portfolio across Midwestern states; relevant as both a historic partner and benchmark for incumbents in adjacent geographies.

Others

• SDN Communications: South Dakota-owned fiber backbone network connecting rural telcos and cooperatives; WRCTC interconnects to SDN at Maurine. Relevant as infrastructure partner and peer in the South Dakota rural telecom ecosystem.
• Dakota Carrier Network: North Dakota consortium of rural telcos operating a shared fiber backbone. Relevant as an enabling infrastructure peer in the regional rural telecom ecosystem WRCTC participates in.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WRCTC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/west-river-coop-tele-co-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about West River Cooperative Telephone Company