Long Lines

History

Long Lines started as a local telephone company in 1941 serving three small communities in Northwest Iowa. Over the years, Long Lines has emerged as a leader in the telecommunications industry and has maintained a well-deserved reputation for providing landline and wireless services of the highest quality, reliability and innovation. With the use of high-speed fiber optic networks, Long Lines delivers Local and Long Distance Telephone, Internet, Cable TV and Wireless Phone services to over 100 communities in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Long Lines has always been a key component of Siouxland. One of Long Lines’ major expansions occurred in the 1980’s when owner, Chuck Long, played a key role in the growth of MCI telemarketing centers. Customers had an option in long distance carriers after Long Lines signed the first Equal-Access Agreement in the United States with MCI. Because of this movement, call centers were established nationwide and generated thousands of jobs. In the early 1990’s, Long Lines sold the telemarketing centers back to MCI and ventured into new projects.

In 1997, Long Lines pioneered the design, installation and operation of community-wide networks for the provision of Phone, Cable TV and Internet service packages, often in partnerships with municipalities. A subdivision of Long Lines, Pioneer Holdings, works directly with Municipals to provide their own Phone, Internet and Cable TV to their local community. As the wholesale provider, Long Lines completes the overbuild project, assists with bill processing and offers consulting services to the Municipals.

Since 2002, Long Lines has created 50/50 partnerships with a number of communities to offer a complete telecommunications package to the town. The communities of Onawa, Orange City and Mapleton, Iowa are all in partnership with Long Lines. Long Lines installs new fiber and equipment, sets up a central office and offers state-of-the-art landline services at competitive rates. Additionally, we’ve added several other communities to our service area including Whiting and Danbury, Iowa, and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. In late 2005, Long Lines partnered with Schaller Telephone to offer high-tech landline services to the communities of Correctionville, Anthon, Holstein and Ida Grove. During 2005 and 2006, Long Lines updated the equipment in the communities of Logan, Magnolia, Woodbine, and Missouri Valley to provide Phone, High-Speed Internet and Cable TV. The first “triple-play” of services was offered to Woodbine in November 2006, followed by Magnolia in January 2007, Logan in April 2007 and Missouri Valley in June 2007.

In the Spring of 2006, Long Lines began a major Cable TV overbuild project in our home-base of Sergeant Bluff and by the Summer of 2007 had completed installation of new cable lines to over 1,400 homes.

Long Lines ventured into the Wireless cell phone industry in December 2005 with the purchase of two Wireless service providers, creating “Long Lines Wireless.” Since June 2006, Long Lines Wireless has activated 154 cellphone towers, opened 18 new retail stores including three in Sioux City, four in Sioux Falls and others in South Sioux City, Sergeant Bluff, LeMars, Orange City, Storm Lake, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Yankton, Vermillion, Missouri Valley and Fort Dodge. Long Lines Wireless has also signed over 30 authorized retailers that offer wireless cell phones and calling plans.

In the Fall of 2006, construction began to overbuild South Sioux City, Nebraska with new fiber optic telecommunications equipment to every resident and business. The overbuild was completed early 2008 and allowed Long Lines to offer their landline services to a new community.

Through this expansion, Long Lines has added 100 new positions including managerial, retail store and outside sales staff, wireless technician, and additional customer service representatives. Long Lines currently activates over 1,000 Wireless customers each month in the Siouxland area and provides landline service to their existing 33,000 Phone, Internet and Cable TV customers throughout the tri-state area.

1941

Northwest Iowa Telephone

1980s

MCI Call Centers

1997

Phone, Cable, Internet offered in communities

2001

Northwest Iowa Telephone and all of its entities officially became known as Long Lines with the introduction of our current logo.

2006

Launched Wireless Phone Service

2008

Currently serving over 33,000 customers in the

tri-state area