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SRT Communications (formerly Souris River Telecommunications) 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.〔(Souris River Telephone Pays Out $401,000 To Subscribers. ) ''Mouse River Farmers Press.'' 29 April 1976.〕 In June 2009 SRT Communications distributed over $1.2 million in capital credit checks to members with local telephone service.〔(Financial Report - 2009. ) ''SRT Communications website.''〕 ==History and milestones== In 1951, the Verendrye Electric Cooperative 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.〔(Minot joins others in suing WebSmart Interactive. ) ''Associated Press.'' 7 October 2003.〕 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.〔Boyles, Mary. (NTCA members worldwide make commitment to excellence. ) ''The Exchange.'' 1 February 2004.〕 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.〔Schramm, Jill. (Discussing local impact: Businesses see good uses for federal stimulus money. ) ''Minot Daily News.'' 21 February 2009.〕 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.〔(SRT Award. ) ''KXMCTV Minot.'' 17 September 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 gets Active with Zhone deployment. ) ''Fierce Telecom.'' 28 March 2008.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「SRT Communications」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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