History

Based out of Harlan, Iowa, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company (FMCTC) is a member-owned telephone cooperative specializing in telecommunications services for both residential and business customers. Since 1904, FMCTC has been engaged in providing quality telecommunications services. 

It all started when a group of Shelby County-area residents collected signatures from neighbors in order to form a telephone cooperative. Today, our cooperative boasts about 4700 members, 15 employees, and is run by a board of directors composed of community members from the exchanges we serve.

In the early years of telephone, providing telephone service meant providing basic dial tone to people in our rural communities. That definition has changed; providing telecommunications services now means making voice, data and entertainment services available. We’re proud that even in out in the most rural areas that FMCTC serves, 100% of customers are able to get high-speed Internet service. This state of the art technology is a great benefit to our rural communities.

FMCTC was the first Internet Service Provider (ISP) in Iowa to offer a local dial-up number for Internet access. Now, with a fiber optic backbone supporting both voice and data traffic, FMCTC provides broadband Internet to 13 communities in west central Iowa.

FMCTC is committed to being a proactive and responsible company for our members. We are proud to be living and working in western Iowa and serving as your telecommunications source.

1876

The telephone is born. Alexander Graham Bell sends the human voice over a wire.

1904

Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone is formed and incorporated.

Telephone wires are suspended between fence posts and overhead connecting farms, homes and small-town businesses

Main office located in Kirkman with service exchanges in Harlan, Irwin & Jacksonville

1905-1910s

Within one year, Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company expands telephone service to Corley, Redline, Tennant and Westphalia

Switchboard operators are on call 24/7 to connect telephone calls

Members pay $12-$15 a year for telephone service

1920s-1930s

Great Depression means tough financial times for the telephone company.

Single wire magneto system is upgraded to a metallic, two-wire system which means more reliable service.

Main office moves to Harlan 

1940s-1950s

The telephone company grows & modernizes after WWII.

Rotary dial phones begin to replace hand-crank telephones & switchboard operators.

Multi-party lines with 10-20 subscribers per line are common.

1960s-1970s

Company begins placing aerial telephone lines underground

Private party lines begin to replace multi-party lines

Service boundaries are redrawn and telephone service in Harlan is discontinued. Harlan telephone lines are sold to United Telephone System.

Hancock Telephone Company is acquired.

Direct dialing (Dial 1+) becomes available for long distance calls.

1980s-1990s

AT&T break-up occurs.

Earling Mutual Telephone Company is acquired.

Major modernization of telephone system occurs, including installation of computerized digital switch. Advanced services like Call Forwarding, Call Waiting become available.

Touchtone service replaces rotary dial telephones.

Cordless phones are introduced.

Paging service is launched.

Cable television service is launched.

Cellular service is launched with CommNet and Verizon.

Dial-Up Internet service is launched.

Web hosting service is launched.

Website, www.fmctc.com  is launched.

FMCTC implements 2 youth programs:  College Scholarship and Youth Tour of Washington D.C.

FMCTC implements community development grant program

Fiber optic network is deployed, laying backbone for broadband services.

New generation digital switch installed, providing advanced services like Caller ID.