Telecommunications Industry Excellence Exhibit

Telecommunications has been a backbone of South Dakota’s economy, connectivity, and communities since the first telegraph wires were strung prior to statehood. Despite being a rural state with wide-open spaces, South Dakota’s community-based rural telephone companies, including cooperatives, municipalities, tribal and small family-owned companies, have built and maintained networks across our vast state, dating back to the “party lines” many decades ago. This continues today, with our high-capacity broadband networks supporting fiber-to-the-premise and emerging 5G technologies.

For more than fifty years, Mitchell Technical Institute’s Telecommunications program has kept the industry supplied with highly qualified technicians who keep our state’s networks operational. As we move into a new decade, we are facing new challenges filling positions and ensuring that our telecom workforce is adequate to maintain South Dakota’s reputation as a leader in broadband and wireless technology.

The South Dakota Hall of Fame is thrilled to showcase five historic telecommunications companies in this exhibit. Learn more about these organizations by downloading our exhibit brochure here.