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Marne-Elk Horn Telephone provides many services
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ELK HORN -- Just 27 years after the telephone was invented, a crafty group of businessmen started their own company to bring service to rural residents.
In 1903, Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company was created by these businessmen because larger companies didn't provide service in rural areas. The first principal place of business of the Company was Rorbeck, and was later moved to Elk Horn.
The first line was strung from Marne to Elk Horn via Rorbeck--hence the name became the Marne & Elk Horn Telephone Company. Kimballton received service in 1904 and Brayton was added next.
These customers started with 'party lines,' according to Janell Hansen, general manager at Marne Elk Horn. These lines were strung for two or more customers to share before more modern technology was available.
Since its beginning, Marne Elk Horn has grown from its small roots to the stockholder-owned corporation it is today.
" The Company started small, but has grown every year ," Hansen said.
Currently, Marne Elk Horn provides many services to its customers: local and long distance telephone service, DSL and dial-up internet service, wireless high speed internet service, wireless phone service and cable service.
These services are spread out to many different communities throughout the area. Currently, Marne Elk Horn has over 1500 telephone customers, nearly 2000 Internet customers, and about 900 cable customers in its coverage area.
"Our mission is to provide the latest communications services at reasonable prices to our customers," Hansen said.
Though Marne Elk Horn has a wide customer base in many communities, the company serves those customers through the hard work of 10 employees.
"We really try to meet our customers needs one-on-one and listen to what they want and need," Hansen said.
And with that attitude, the company now serves larger companies in the community like Liberty Labs, Inc. and MV Transportation. However, Marne Elk Horn took on a larger task this past fall: extending its telephone and DSL services to Exira.
"Exira was a big project for us and I'm happy to say we have now installed phone service for over 100 customers there" Hansen said.
"We're trying to grow our communities by offering them great telecommunications services."
The addition of Exira as the fifth telephone exchange for Marne Elk Horn also brings a new challenge: competing for business in a market.
Marne Elk Horn currently serves as the main source of telephone services in all of the communities it serves, except Exira.
"In Exira, we are competing with Iowa Telecom," Hansen said.
Hansen said Marne Elk Horn is devoted to helping the communities it provides service to through many means.
"We are very customer service oriented, not a one size fits all company" Hansen said. "We try to promote our communities which promotes economic development, which gives people the services they want."
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©The Harlan Tribune 2009
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