Explore our communications journey
Our History
September 1950
Meeting held in Mound City, SD to discuss improving telephone service; decision made to explore forming a cooperative and securing REA funding.
1952
Valley Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc. officially formed; Articles of Incorporation filed
1954
REA loan of $528,000 approved.
1956
Dial service installed in Glenham, Herreid, Mound City, and Pollock.
1958
Service area expanded with acquisition of Western Mutual Telephone Company (Leola) and Hosmer Telephone Company.
1959
Leola and Hosmer converted to dial service; new headquarters completed in Herreid.
1964
Long Lake exchange acquired and converted; four-party service introduced.
1980
REA financing enabled cable television system development.
1981
Cable TV service launched in Leola.
1984
Cable TV service expanded to Herreid.
1994
Valley Cable & Satellite Communications purchased Eureka and Ipswich exchanges from US West.
1995 – December 1996
Headquarters expansion approved, constructed, and completed.
December 1997
Dial-up internet service introduced.
January 2000
Eureka and Ipswich customers integrated; two new board members added.
2001
DSL high-speed internet launched, eventually reaching ~99.9% of members.
June 2004
Digital IP-based television service launched.
November 2006
Valley Wireless introduced.
2008
$18.3M Fiber-to-the-Farm (FTTF) project announced.
Soft switch implemented, transitioning toward IP network.
2009
FTTF Phase 1 completed (Herreid & Mound City rural areas).
2010
Quarter 3 – HDTV and DVR features introduced.
November – FTTF Phase 2 completed (Eureka, Hosmer, eastern Leola).
End of the Year – Dial-up internet officially discontinued.
2012
February - FTTF Phase 3 completed (Ipswich & west Leola).
Quarter 2 – Safety & Security Services launched.
Late in the Year – Final fiber phase completed (Long Lake, Glenham, Pollock + towns added).
2013-2016
Fiber completed across all towns (Eureka, Herreid, Pollock, Leola, Hosmer, Ipswich).
Spring 2013
Cellular service relaunched with nationwide 3G.
2014
Valley Smart Solutions (smart-home tech) introduced.
Mobile Command Center launched.
2015
4G wireless service introduced.
2016
August - Recognized as NTCA Certified Gig-Capable Provider.
September – TV platform upgraded (HD channels, Restart TV, Cloud DVR).
2017
January – Plan announced to expand TV service to Ipswich.
May – Ipswich customer service center opened.
September – Keemotion automated sports broadcasting introduced.
November – Video-On-Demand (VOD) launched.
2018
January – Broadband-only service introduced (FCC changes).
May – Valley FiberCom launched in Volga, SD.
August 2018–January 22, 2019 – Volga office constructed and opened.
2019 - 2024
Fiber construction began in Volga.
Expansion into De Smet, Lake Preston, Arlington, Flandreau, Colman, Egan, and Iroquois.
2020s
USDA-Reconnect and state grants funded rural fiber expansion; partnership with FSST secured NTIA grant.
2020
Live streaming gym systems became essential during COVID-19.
2025
July 31 - Cable television service officially discontinued after 45 years.
June – New brand “Valley FiberCom” to be officially introduced at Annual Meeting.
Decision made to rebrand cooperative.
2026
New brand “Valley FiberCom” to be officially introduced at Annual Meeting.