OKLAHOMA CITY – Executives of small, independent, rural Oklahoma telephone companies contend they and their employees are active in community affairs, provide their customers with personal attention, and offer telecommunications services that are as good as or better than what AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and other large carriers provide.
While AT&T spends millions of dollars for naming rights to a stadium in Dallas, Texas, “We spend our money right here in Oklahoma,” said JJ Francais, director of special projects for Hilliary Communications, which owns the telephone company in Medicine Park and provides telephone and cable TV service to several other communities in southwest Oklahoma, as well.
As an illustration, Cyril Public Schools “came to us last year, asking for a donation to build a new batting cage and concession stand,” Francais recalled. The Hilliary family agreed to make a leadership gift of $15,000 and cover the cost of signage and other expenses.
“When was the last time you saw a banner for AT&T, Suddenlink Communications or TDS on the side of a baseball field?” Francais added. “Our members are active supporters of their communities,” said Tom Karalis, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Telephone Association. “They serve on and participate in organizations such as the United Way. They are a major presence in these rural communities.”
The OTA represents more than 30 rural telecommunications companies throughout Oklahoma and more than 85 industry vendors.
“The communities we serve are full of proud, hard-working Oklahomans,” Francais said. “Our civic groups, PTAs and booster clubs fight for every banner they sell and every dollar they raise. As a company, we are proud when our employees serve on boards and civic groups, and we’re proud to do our part to ensure that those who grow up in rural Oklahoma have the same opportunity as others.”
Dick Segress, CEO of Terral Telephone Co. in southern Jefferson County, noted that when a customer calls AT&T to complain about a problem or request service, he/she will get a recorded message. But when customers of independent rural telephone companies call their local service provider, a person answers.
“If you call a ‘phone company in a rural area, you’ll get a human, not an automated recorded message,” echoed Karalis. “If you call AT&T, you might eventually get connected to someone in Mexico or Portland, Oregon.”
When a Medicine Park resident contacts the local telephone company, “There are a maximum of three levels between any caller and a Hilliary family member,” Francais said.
Hilliary Communications supports a minimum of 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 10 Mbps upstream to Elgin and portions of Medicine Park.
Earlier this year Hilliary Communications launched gig service over its fiber-to-the-home network.
“Where our competitors provide speeds ranging from 3 Mbps to 12 Mbps, we provide 250 Mbps,” said JJ Francais. And in Anadarko, he said, Hilliary Communications sells internet service that ranges from a minimum of 50 Mbps up to 1 Gbps.