CTC Ventures Into Cellular Service With New Division

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COLUMBUS, KS – Today Columbus Telephone Company, Inc. announced it has acquired a majority interest in Parcom Telephone Company in Parsons, Kansas. The acquisition will allow CTC to expand into new business lines, including cellular service and increase its product line for corporate customers.

With the investment, a new ParCom, LLC has been formed that is a joint venture between CTC and Vincent Schibi. The company will be headquartered in Columbus with CTC’s other operations.

“ParCom is the perfect complement to our business. We’re truly excited to make ParCom part of the Columbus Telephone family,” stated Columbus Telephone General Manager Trish Carroll.

ParCom has been in business over 30 years, serving business phone systems and Verizon Wireless out of their retail location in Parsons. Their legacy of personal service and top-tier customer support matches that of Columbus Telephone and makes the two companies a perfect fit for each other.

“Our customers have asked us to venture into cellular service for years. We’ve finally found the best avenue for us to do just that and it is with a partner who operates with the same customer-focused principles that CTC encompasses,” added Carroll.

The new ParCom, LLC will open an all-new retail store in Columbus in the coming months, with further expansion plans beyond the Columbus location. Details of the Columbus store will be announced at a later date.

“We’re excited to be part of the CTC family and look forward to serving the Columbus community soon,” said Parcom, LLC General Manager Vincent Schibi.

With today’s announcement the Columbus Telephone Company enterprise now has 21 employees, with plans to add more as the ParCom, LLC operation expands.

“CTC is no longer just a telephone company – we’re a technology company. Between our expanding fiber network and now ParCom, LLC, we’re well on our way to becoming a regional technology leader,” added Carroll.

CTC Announces First-Ever Expansion, New Division

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GALENA, KS – Today Columbus Telephone Company is announcing a new division that will launch the company’s first-ever network expansion. Under the brand name Optic Communications, CTC and its subsidiaries will be deploying world-class connectivity to the Galena, Kan. community.

“For the last 12 months we’ve been conducting market research within Cherokee County. We were overwhelmed by the response from all areas, but Galena’s need for bandwidth was most obvious. Additionally, the Galena community has been incredibly welcoming to our company – we look forward to being partners as their city grows and develops” stated Optic Communications General Manager Trish Carroll.

Today’s news marks the first-ever expansion embarked upon by an affiliate of Columbus Telephone Company. Founded in 1905 by a group of Cherokee County farmers, CTC was originally part of the Cherokee County Mutual Telephone Company, an association that included the Home Telephone Company of Galena and Baxter Springs Telephone Company. CTC is the only founding member of the association to remain in business, now over 109 years.

“Cherokee County has a rich legacy in telecommunications. It is quite remarkable that over 100 years later we’re coming full circle by connecting our communities—yet again—with world-class connectivity,” said CTC Marketing Manager Nick Saporito.

In recent months the company has been deploying fiber-optic lines in the Galena area, including a new Central Office to serve the community. With mainline construction complete, Optic plans to begin turning up fiber-optic services to select business customers in Galena later this month.

Optic plans to eventually provide phone, Internet and cable TV service to Galena residents as well, with the ability to offer Internet speeds up to 1 GBps over a completely buried fiber-optic network. Neighborhoods with the highest demand will be the first to get turned up on the new network. Businesses and residents in Galena that are interested in Optic services should go to the company’s website at www.optic-communications.com and fill out the appropriate survey.

The expansion of fiber-to-the-home services in Cherokee County will benefit all residents in the region by providing world-class Internet to more people and businesses and creating new jobs.

CTC recently added two full-time employees to assist in the expansion, increasing the company’s employee count to the highest in its history. As Optic expands the company anticipates creating more new jobs in the county.

“We’re officially a 109 year old company that is growing and innovating. It is truly an exciting time to be at CTC,” added Carroll.

About Optic: Fiber Communications of Columbus, LLC d/b/a Optic Communications is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbus Telephone Company, Inc.