September 9, 2022  -  Bevcomm and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are promoting Lifeline Awareness Week, September 12-16.

Lifeline is an FCC program designed to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers. Lifeline provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on qualifying voice and broadband services for eligible low-income subscribers and up to $34.25 per month for subscribers on qualifying Tribal lands. To learn more about Lifeline, go to www.fcc.gov/lifeline-consumers or www.lifelinesupport.org/.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is also now available to help families and households struggling to afford internet service. The Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Additional information about the Affordable Connectivity Program Benefit is available at www.fcc.gov/ACP. Households that qualify for Lifeline also qualify for the ACP Benefit.

September 13th – Fiber Minnesota, LLC, a Minnesota fiber-optic transport carrier announced it has merged with fiber transport providers Broadband Visions (BBV) and SM Broadband (SMB) to create one of MN’s largest fiber transport networks.

The deal increases the Fiber Minnesota backbone network by more than 60% to a total of 3,900 route miles of fiber. The merged networks will operate under the Fiber Minnesota brand.

Combining the assets of these networks will enable MN’s rural telecom and broadband providers to deliver increasingly advanced services to consumers and carriers, faster and more efficiently.

“This merger is the culmination of 18 months of work, resulting in one of the largest and most robust fiber networks in the state, providing significant benefits for consumers, enterprise customers, carriers, major wireless providers, the owners and the entire State,” said Jason Dale, Fiber Minnesota CEO. “As technology and rural transport economics have changed, it’s clear that a unified state-wide network is a key ingredient to remaining relevant in the transport world. By combining these complementary networks, we’ve taken another huge step forward. We are extremely excited for the opportunities this new combined network provides.”

The expanded Fiber Minnesota footprint connects nearly all corners of the state with multiple redundant routes, including rural areas often bypassed by other players.

This merger comes after the successful 2020 acquisition by Cooperative Network Services (CNS) of the WCTG fiber network, its integration with the original CNS network, and the subsequent launch of subsidiary Fiber Minnesota for all CNS network operations. The members of BBV and SMB join CNS as shareholders of Fiber Minnesota, together representing 33 different owners or ownership groups, most of which are operating companies / ISPs serving rural Minnesota and neighboring areas. BBV continues to operate its video headend and Internet services divisions, while SMB has completely merged into Fiber Minnesota.

According to Glenn Zerbe, Board Chair of BBV / President of Nuvera Communications, “The broad ownership base is an advantage for Fiber Minnesota as it partners with its own shareholders for the connectivity of its core network to a staggering network of last-mile fiber throughout the state. Consumers and institutions, especially those in rural areas, will experience a higher degree of reliability for broadband and related services. All three of these networks complement each other, and their combination removes redundancies and offers greater scale. The ability to keep more traffic on-net is imperative as the transport network industry evolves.”

The motivation to combine these networks was clear with BBV, CNS and SMB all having multiple shareholders in common, and each network having significant overlapping segments with the others. However, it was still a tall order to rally all the companies involved.

“There have been multiple efforts over the years to put our statewide independent network back together here in Minnesota. We were fortunate this time around with the right people, the right model, and the right time for it all to come together. The benefits of this merger would not have been possible without the fantastic leadership of the BBV, SMB, CNS, and FM management teams and shareholders,” said Bill Eckles, President of SMB / CEO of Bevcomm. “The merged network fits strategically for the long term provision of critical broadband services.”

Similar to surrounding states  | Minnesota’s fiber transport landscape has long been made up of smaller regional networks, but as technology and the industry have evolved, so too has the need for a larger, unified network.

For years, Minnesota has differed from neighboring states, where the independent telecommunications / broadband providers joined forces decades ago to create statewide networks – enjoying robust facilities and advanced centralized solutions.

“This is a big win for the independent telecom providers in MN and for the customers they serve,” said Dean Bahls, Fiber Minnesota’s Network Operations Manager. “Minnesota has now achieved the ‘statewide fiber network’ many other surrounding states have enjoyed for years.

The increased footprint will provide direct connectivity to nearly all of the independent ISPs in the state as well as connectivity to many more on-net customers throughout the state. Additionally, adding diverse connections to wholesale Internet providers and peering exchanges will be more cost-effective now and help contain costs in the future --- a key ingredient to a sustainable business model for rural broadband providers in serving their customers, especially those in Greater Minnesota and neighboring areas.”

Integration of the three networks will be phased over the next 24 to 36 months.

Streamlined quoting and turn-up | With the increase of on-net route miles, quoting circuits will be faster, and pricing will be more competitive. Customers will enjoy highly available services, with faster resolution times.

Network of Networks | As with the current Fiber Minnesota network, through partnership with 702 Communications, the combined network will participate in the Aurora Fiber Optic Networks brand (aurorafonet.com), and through that partnership will continue to be a part of the INDATEL nationwide “network of networks”.

The owners and ownership groups (direct and indirect) represented by Fiber Minnesota include:

AcenTek Houston, MN
Albany Albany, MN
Alliance Communications Garretson, SD
Benton Communications Rice, MN
Bevcomm Blue Earth, MN
Christensen Communications Company Madelia, MN
Cooperative Network Services Menahga, MN
Comm 1 Kanawha, IA
Consolidated Telecommunications Company Brainerd, MN
Emily Cooperative Telephone Company Emily, MN
Farmers Mutual Telephone Company Bellingham, MN
Federated Telephone Chokio, MN
Garden Valley Technologies Erskine, MN
Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association Brandon, MN
Halstad Telephone Company Halstad, MN
Interstate Telecommunicatons Cooperative Clear Lake, SD
KMTelecom Kasson, MN
Lismore Cooperative Telephone Co. Lismore, MN
Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company Mabel, MN
Manchester-Hartland Telephone Company Manchester, MN
Jaguar Communications / MetroNet Evansville, IN
Nuvera Communications, Inc. New Ulm, MN
Park Region Telephone Underwood, MN
Paul Bunyan Communications Bemidji, MN
RC Technologies New Effington, SD
Red River Communications Abercrombie, ND
Runestone Telecom Association Hoffman, MN
SDN Communications Sioux Falls, SD
Spring Grove Communications Spring Grove, MN
Sytek Upsala, MN
West Central Telephone Association Sebeka, MN
Windstream Little Rock, AR
Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association Lake Mills, IA
Woodstock Communications Ruthton, MN

Fiber Minnesota exists to provide high-capacity, highly-available and protected fiber connectivity to ISPs, Wireless Carriers, Enterprise customers, and other stakeholders in every corner of Minnesota, and to surrounding areas. Fiber Minnesota is a key provider of high-capacity fiber-optic backhaul for much of Minnesota, providing IP/TDM Transport, Special Access Circuits, and Ethernet services to the carrier, enterprise, and SMB markets.

Fiber Minnesota - Minnesota. Connected.

While the critical importance of reliable, high-speed broadband access has become even more obvious during the pandemic, there are still unserved and underserved areas of the state. To help close that gap, on Jan. 28, the state announced broadband grant awards for 39 projects designed to bring service to more than 6,900 businesses, homes, and community anchor institutions in Minnesota.

This marked the sixth year of grants through the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program overseen by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

DEED Commissioner Steve Grove and Broadband Director Angie Dickison joined three grantees at a recent virtual press conference to talk about the program and the difference it makes.

Those 39 state grants – totaling $20,645,425 – are matched by $33,695,279 in local funds, for a total investment in broadband infrastructure of $54,340,704.

“This is very much a partnership of the public and private sectors wanting to get this done,” said Commissioner Grove. “The demand for this program is huge. We are by no means done with this journey. Governor Walz announced an additional $50 million proposal to expand and accelerate this grant program. This has been a major priority of his and we’re eager to work with legislators on it.”

Bevcomm received funding for two projects in their MN exchanges:

A project titled, Rural Faribault County and Martin County Fiber Expansion Phase 2, with funding in the amount of $1,182,818.

This project will serve approximately two unserved households, 203 underserved households, 46 underserved businesses, and 181 underserved farms in portions of Faribault and Martin counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Faribault County EDA and Martin County EDA, Bevcomm will provide fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) at speeds of up to 1 Gbps, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. Broadband access will provide home-based business options, stimulate economic growth, and spark innovation and investment in the project area. The total eligible project cost is $2,957,043.

A project titled, Rural Morristown Fiber Expansion, with funding in the amount of $210,692.

This project will serve approximately 14 unserved and 94 underserved locations in portions of Rice, Waseca, and Steele counties. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Rice County Housing & Redevelopment Authority, Bevcomm will provide fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) at speeds of up to 1 Gbps, exceeding the 2022 and 2026 state speed goals. With access to broadband, education, health care, agriculture, energy efficiency, and public safety will improve within the project area. The total eligible project cost is $526,729.

Grantees Talk About Value of the Program

Garden Valley Technologies received a $1.6 million award for a project in Northwest Thief River Falls and Euclid to provide service to 104 unserved and 22 underserved locations in portions of Marshall and Polk counties. “At 1.3 locations per square mile, it’s tough to build that out and, without grant programs like this, it would be nearly impossible,” said Tim Brinkman, CEO and general manager of Garden Valley Technologies.

Brinkman talked about how an earlier broadband grant the company received enabled them to provide service to a 92-year-old woman who was living alone and to her granddaughter who lived nearby and ran a home-based business. Brinkman said having broadband access helped the granddaughter grow her business and allowed the grandmother to download books on her Kindle – a real quality-of-life issue for someone living alone.

“The family is very, very thankful,” said Brinkman. “So, thank you for the opportunity to continue providing these services to those unserved areas across the state.”

Mediacom Minnesota received two awards – a $624,751 grant to serve 267 underserved homes, six businesses and one community anchor in Hermantown in St. Louis County, and a $19,752 grant to serve 80 unserved households in Minnetrista in Hennepin County.

“We are really excited, we’re honored, we appreciate the responsibility the state of Minnesota, and DEED and the taxpayers have put on us, and we’ll deliver,” said Bill Jensen, group vice president of Mediacom Minnesota.

Bevcomm (Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company, Easton Telephone Company & Cannon Valley Telecom) received two awards in the latest round of grants: a $1,182,818 grant for a project that will provide service to about two unserved households, 203 underserved households, 46 underserved businesses, and 181 underserved farms in portions of Faribault and Martin counties – and a $210,692 grant that will provide service to about 14 unserved and 94 underserved locations in portions of Rice, Waseca, and Steele counties.

Bill Eckles, CEO of BEVCOMM, said they survey people in an area before they move ahead with a project. “From the letters we get, it’s just astounding the need out there,” he said. “I just want to say thank you for the two awards. I’m sure our customers are going to be extremely happy a year from now.”

High Demand for Program

Altogether, for FY21 funding, DEED received 64 separate applications requesting $42 million in funding during the latest grant application round. The grants announced on Jan. 28 bring the number of homes and businesses provided broadband access through the grant program since 2014 to a total of over 56,800.

BLUE EARTH, MN -- Bevcomm, a fourth-generation, family-owned telecom company based in Blue Earth, has revealed its new corporate brand identity, logo, and website. CEO, Bill Eckles, believes that this refreshed look reflects the company’s commitment to remain on the cutting edge of communications technology. “Since Bevcomm was founded in 1895, we’ve been dedicated to providing our customers with innovative technology and reliable service,” Eckles said, “but the telecom industry has evolved over the past 125 years, and so have our services. We decided it was time for our brand to do the same.”

From humble beginnings as a rural telephone service provider, Bevcomm has expanded to provide high-speed broadband and digital television to more than 20,000 homes and businesses across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.

The first change customers will likely notice is the company’s very name, which has been transformed from BEVCOMM to the lowercase Bevcomm to convey a modern, tech-forward identity. The new logo also features a refreshed font and a minimalist, forward-facing arrow. Amy Schonborn, Customer Service and Marketing Manager, states, “Arrows are a sign of motion, of progress, and that’s what we’re all about: constantly moving forward to provide our customers with the best possible experience.”

Bevcomm’s new brand identity is showcased on their redesigned website, www.bevcomm.net, which features a new easy-to-navigate layout and updated visuals for improved user experience. For more information, please visit www.bevcomm.net. 

BLUE EARTH, MN -- The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, continues to spread across the country, prompting thousands of American businesses and schools to move to remote work and online instruction.

Turning online for work and education may cause stress for local families living without high speed broadband in their homes.

To support customers working from home, as well as school staff and students taking part in eLearning programs, BEVCOMM is offering:

(1) A $9.95 broadband connection for eligible low-income families working from home and for students taking part in eLearning programs. Qualifications include: must be a new customer, qualify for Free School Lunch, or the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program. Some restrictions apply.

(2) BEVCOMM will donate $3,000 to each public school district in its serving area to help support the purchase of Wi-Fi hotspots.

(3) BEVCOMM has joined the FCC in the Keep Americans Connected pledge, which will promote connectivity for residents impacted by disruptions during this coronavirus pandemic. Given the scope of this pandemic and its impact on American society, we pledge for the next 60 days to: • Not terminate service to any residential or small business broadband or phone customer because of their inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;

• Waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and Due to rising health concerns, the local BEVCOMM offices in Minnesota and Wisconsin will close their doors to the public effective at 8:00am on March 17, 2020. Please know BEVCOMM employees are still here to support you. They offer 24x7x365 Customer Service and Technical Support. Please reach out to them by calling your local BEVCOMM office or toll free at 800-473-1442.

Payments can be made over the phone with a credit or debit card, sent via postal mail, left in our local drop boxes, or paid online at www.bevcomm.net.

BEVCOMM installation and repair technicians spend much of their day in customer homes and businesses. For your safety and the safety of employees BEVCOMM will limit interactions to new broadband and phone installations and service outages. Thankfully, many technical troubles can be resolved remotely without having to send out a technician, however, there are times when they need to go on site to resolve the issue. Depending on the issue, BEVCOMM may ask to delay the resolution until exposure is less likely and requests that you communicate current health status prior to a scheduled appointment.

In addition, it is important to be aware of potential scams that may occur in relation to COVID19. Should you receive emails that look suspicious, please delete them and most importantly avoid clicking on links. It is a good practice to change passwords frequently.

Our nation is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, but no students should have to stop learning or employees stop working due to their internet connection. For more information and to upgrade your broadband subscription please contact us at 1-800-473-1442.

For more information regarding COVID-19, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

April 30, Blue Earth, MN - BEVCOMM, Blue Earth-based Telecommunication Company, announced today that they have acquired ownership of Lonsdale Telephone Company in Lonsdale, MN.

Existing employees of Lonsdale Telephone Company will become employees of BEVCOMM and will continue to manage the day-to-day office functions.

Both Lonsdale Telephone Company and BEVCOMM are family-owned companies. BEVCOMM Chief Executive Officer Bill Eckles stated, “We are excited about the acquisition of Lonsdale Telephone Company. Lonsdale is geographically located in perfect proximity to our existing New Prague and Morristown exchanges making this a natural fit. We are looking forward to new opportunities which will be possible with the combined resources of both companies. We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the Lonsdale community.”

Oronoco, MN - March 7, 2019 - BEVCOMM invests in a state-of-the-art fiber optic network that will connect 100% of residential homes and businesses within the City of Oronoco by the end of 2020. Fiber technology will enable residents to access services including ultra-fast internet with speeds up to one Gig down and 500Mb up, for less than $100 per month.

During the construction process beginning this year, BEVCOMM will replace the current network of copper cables with a network of fiber-optic cables which use light instead of electricity to carry a digital data signal. BEVCOMM anticipates having nearly half the town complete and ready for installation by the end of this year. The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. There will be no installation cost to customers as they are converted to the fiber optic network.

“Fiber offers important advantages,” said Bill Eckles, BEVCOMM’s CEO. “At the top of the list is fiber’s ability to provide virtually unlimited bandwidth capacity and internet speed, enabling users to enjoy a better experience with data-intensive applications such as streaming, online gaming, cloud storage, online education, work from home capabilities, and more. Fiber also increases service reliability and stability. We are excited to bring fiber to Oronoco and to expand opportunities for individuals as well as expand economic development in the community as a whole.”

Anyone with questions regarding the upcoming fiber project in Oronoco can call BEVCOMM at 800-473-1442.

January 14, 2019, Blue Earth, MN - Bevcomm, Blue Earth-based Telecommunication Company, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which they will acquire ownership of Lonsdale Telephone Company in Lonsdale, MN. The transfer of ownership is pending regulatory approval which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020.

Existing employees of Lonsdale Telephone Company will become employees of Bevcomm, and will continue to manage the day-to-day office functions.

Both Lonsdale Telephone Company and Bevcomm are family-owned companies. Bevcomm Chief Executive Officer Bill Eckles stated, “We are excited about the acquisition of Lonsdale Telephone Company. Lonsdale is geographically located in perfect proximity to our existing New Prague and Morristown exchanges making this a natural fit. We are looking forward to new opportunities which will be possible with the combined resources of both companies. We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to serve the Lonsdale community.”

(Wells) Ethan Sindelir of Wells has been selected to receive the $2,000 scholarship for the 2018-2019 academic year from the Minnesota Telecom Alliance Foundation, according to, Bill Eckles, President of Bevcomm. Ethan will be graduating from Maple River High School and plans to attend the Gustavus Adolphus College. He is the son of Brett and Cindy Sindelir.

“I have had many positive influences from teachers and coaches that placed me in a position to succeed. I too, want to share the passion of an educator to also inspire students. I plan to accomplish these goals by continuing my education and majoring in Education, said Ethan in his scholarship application.

In awarding the scholarship to Ethan, Eckles said, “We’re happy to have this chance to make an investment in Ethan’s college education. Rural communities need educated and talented young people like Ethan to be our leaders of the future. It makes us all proud at BEVCOMM when one of the statewide winners is selected from our area.”

The Foundation is part of the Minnesota Telecom Alliance, a trade organization based in St. Paul representing over 44 telephone companies and cooperatives in the state.

St Paul, MN - November, 21, 2017 - Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced the 2017 Border-to-Border Broadband Grant recipients. The grants total $26 million for 39 broadband infrastructure projects that will provide 9,973 households, 2,169 businesses, and 60 community institutions across Minnesota access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet.

The funding, which was approved during the 2017 legislative sessions, goes to broadband providers and communities to build out wireline and fixed wireless broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved locations across the state.

“Access to quality, affordable broadband is a tool that levels the playing field for Minnesotans all across the state,” said DEED Commissioner Shawntera Hardy. “This funding, and the private investment leveraged from it, will soon allow even more individuals, communities and businesses the opportunity to access the internet at speeds that meet today’s demands.”

Bevcomm has been awarded $545,220 for fiber expansion projects in rural Delavan, Freeborn, and Granada, MN. The projects will allow for faster Internet with download speeds up to a Gigabit. Bevcomm will begin construction in 2018. More specific details follow:

Bevcomm (Easton Telephone Company)

This project will serve 25 households and 30 businesses in the southeastern rural Delavan area. The total eligible project cost is $565,000, with a $344,650 investment from Bevcomm.

Bevcomm (Cannon Valley Telephone)

This project will serve 15 households and 17 businesses in the rural Freeborn area, and completing a build-out started two years ago. The total eligible project cost is $314,000, with a $191,540 investment fromBevcomm.

Bevcomm (Granada Telephone Company)

This project will serve 35 households and 21 businesses in the rural Granada area located in Martin County, completing a build-out started a year ago. The total eligible project cost is $519,000, with a $316,590 investment fromBevcomm.

June 2017 - Bevcomm is pleased to announce that our telephone directory partner for the 2017 issue of the Hager City, New Prague/Lonsdale, Faribault County and Weyerhaeuser phone books is Vivial (Vivial Media LLC). Vivial is currently contacting local businesses to discuss the 2017-2018 advertising program. We are excited and believe that Vivial brings a comprehensive suite of print and digital advertising products to our business owners. See for yourself at www.vivial.net.

Crosslake, MN, May 31, 2016 –The City of Crosslake approved the sale of Crosslake Communications to Tri-Co Technologies (TCT) on Monday, May 23, 2016. TCT is a partnership of three Minnesota-based telecommunications companies; BEVCOMM, headquartered in Blue Earth, MN, West Central Telephone Association (WCTA), headquartered in Sebeka, MN and Emily Cooperative Telephone Company (ECTC), of Emily, MN.

The companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which TCT will acquire Crosslake Communications later this summer pending state and federal approval. All of the existing employees will be hired by partner-company, Emily Cooperative Telephone Company, which will be managing the day to day operations. Josh Netland, General Manager of ECTC and President of TCT commented, “We consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to serve these new communities. The three partners have over 220 years combined history of bringing technology to small rural communities. We consider it to be our responsibility to make sure the communities we serve are never left behind.”

Tri-Co Technologies is a partnership of Minnesota-based BEVCOMM, West Central Telephone Association and Emily Cooperative Telephone Company committed to bringing advanced fiber-to-the-premise technologies to the Crosslake community.

January 11, 2017- Great news for BEVCOMM and many broadband providers in Minnesota!! Lt. Governor Tina Smith and the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) today announced grants totaling $34 million for 42 broadband infrastructure projects that will provide 16,627 households, 2,240 businesses, and 71 community institutions across Minnesota access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. The new state funding will help level the playing field for households and businesses in Greater Minnesota by providing them access the same opportunities available to urban area residents.

BEVCOMM has been awarded nearly $650,000 for the following expansion projects. Thank you MN Office of Broadband and all who support us!

• Granada Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), South Rural Granada – $157,920. This project will serve 26 unserved households and 14 unserved businesses in the rural Granada area in Martin County. Granada Telephone will provide advanced broadband services to farms and residences in the area. The total eligible project cost is $394,800, with a $236,880 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Blue Earth Valley Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Winnebago – $152,828. This project will serve 18 unserved households (including farms), 8 unserved businesses, 2 underserved households and three underserved businesses in rural Winnebago in Faribault County. Blue Earth Valley Telephone will improve services that will help livestock and grain farmers in the region. The total eligible project cost is $382,070, with a $229,242 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Cannon Valley Telecom Inc. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Freeborn – $150,700. This project will serve 10 unserved households, six unserved businesses, nine underserved households and six underserved businesses in the rural Freeborn area in Freeborn County. The Cannon Valley Telecom project will improve access to health care and education. The total eligible project cost is $376,750, with a $226,050 investment from BEVCOMM.

• Eckles Telephone Co. (dba BEVCOMM), Rural Heidelberg – $188,000. This project will serve 51 unserved households, seven unserved businesses, 40 underserved households and four underserved businesses in rural Heidelberg in Le Sueur County. Eckles Telephone Co. will build a network that will enable farmers to access applications and tools to make their operations more efficient and enhance crop production. The project also will improve access to health care and education. The total eligible project cost is $470,000, with a $282,000 investment from BEVCOMM.

August 1, 2015 - BEVCOMM announces immediate availability of unlimited Gigabit Internet speeds in New Prague, MN. Extremely fast Internet at speeds up to 1,000 Mbps and 100 times faster than the Internet speed in a typical U. S. household. At $139.95 per month residential households with a fiber to the home connection can connect to incredible speeds, with no data limits.

“As demands and customer expectations for faster speeds increase, we are continually looking for solutions that help meet that demand and keep our community on the cutting edge,” states Exchange Manager, Dirk Berger, “Our fiber to the home network in New Prague makes Gig connections possible. Fiber is future proof, a technology that dramatically changes the way users connect with their world. We are excited to offer such amazing speeds at an affordable rate.” He continues, “With a Gig you can do absolutely anything and everything online with virtually no limitation---watch movies, videos, game, chat, shop, telecommute and more; and with many devices all on the same connection.”

Blue Earth, MN, July 23, 2015– BEVCOMM, a Blue Earth based telecommunications company, announced today it has acquired VoiceNet Technologies, a Twin City business communications company located in Eagan. The acquisition expands BEVCOMM’s business voice, IT and surveillance services in the Twin Cities market.

“We’re excited to have completed the acquisition of VoiceNet Technologies, says BEVCOMM Business Solutions President, Jake Anderson. “This will accelerate our growth plan and provide a base for BEVCOMM in the metro market. Our new partnership allows BEVCOMM the opportunity to provide excellent customer service and additional customer choice for specialized business communication and managed IT solutions in the Twin Cities area.”

Chip Sullivan, former President and partner of VoiceNet Technologies, now with BEVCOMM, says, “I am thrilled to be joining BEVCOMM and having a much larger team to support the activity in this area.”

About BEVCOMM

BEVCOMM is a fourth generation, family owned telecommunications company providing state of the art service for more than 120 years. With a strong commitment to its communities, BEVCOMM has more than 100 local employees offering responsive customer service throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. BEVCOMM Business Solutions provides business telephone systems, hospitality phone systems, video surveillance, managed IT, web solutions, and data cabling & networking.

About VoiceNet Technologies

VoiceNet Technology is a 20 year old company specializing in software development of telephone based Interactive Voice Response solutions; Consulting Services, and a reseller of Vertical Communication Inc.

OCTOBER 8, 2014, BLUE EARTH, MN – BEVCOMM has forged a partnership with five other Minnesota telephone companies, an Iowa provider and Sioux Falls, SD based SDN Communications to create better and more affordable network connectivity and Internet services for regional businesses.

The interconnected network will stretch from the US Highway 212 corridor to northern Iowa and from Sioux Falls to Rochester. The territory will include Twin Cities suburbs and other major markets such as Mankato and Rochester.

“This partnership makes BEVCOMM part of something bigger which will provide the network solutions and efficiencies business’s will need ,” says BEVCOMM CEO/President Bill Eckles.

The Minnesota and Iowa companies invited SDN to interconnect and manage the partnership because of its experience doing the same for its owners, the independent telephone companies of South Dakota.

SDN’s network already serves all of South Dakota for business-to-business broadband services with 30,000 miles of fiber optics. That network reaches into seven surrounding states, including metropolitan areas, such as Minneapolis, Omaha, Chicago, Fargo, Denver and Cheyenne.

The partners (and headquarters) include:

About BEVCOMM

BEVCOMM is a fourth generation, family-owned telecom company and technology provider headquartered in Blue Earth, Minnesota. It maintains a history rooted in telephone service, providing dial-tone service and unified communications infrastructures to communities throughout Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa for more than 115 years.

BEVCOMM is positioned to provide the reliable legacy services of today, with the innovative services of tomorrow. From local and long distance telephone service to high-speed Internet access, Digital TV, and customized business services, BEVCOMM offers a wide range of communications solutions. Originally founded in 1895, and currently employing 104 people, BEVCOMM is one of the largest locally-owned telecommunications companies in Minnesota. BEVCOMM is headquartered in Blue Earth, and has offices in Minnesota Lake, Morristown, New Prague, Pine Island, Wells, & Winnebago, MN as well as Hager City and Weyerhaeuser, WI.

About SDN Communications

SDN is a coalition of South Dakota’s independent telephone companies – cooperatives, family, municipal, and tribal-owned companies. They joined their independent networks in 1989 and created SDN as a hub to deliver long distance choice to the telephone companies’ largely rural customer base. Today that same statewide fiber footprint allows file sharing and Internet traffic for business and government. In fact, SDN provides Internet not only to South Dakota state government offices, but also to virtually all public K-12 schools and state universities. Its network now reaches into eight states serving businesses in many sectors, but specializing in banking, health care, manufacturing, government, and education. SDN also offers Managed Services including routers, firewalls and remote network monitoring. Learn more at

BEVCOMM announced a pledge of $100,000 to the Pine Island Public School District to enhance technology in the school system, provided the upcoming bond referendum is approved. “This is our way of offering support for the new school facility in Pine Island,” says Bill Eckles, BEVCOMM’s President and CEO.

“The importance of maintaining our school systems is vital to the future of the county. Innovative technology and broadband connections are the building blocks of a digital learning environment. Broadband powers a learning environment for both students and teachers which promote success and achievement,” stated Bill Eckles. “The latest in technology in a new facility supports a commitment to the future, attracting new families and new businesses to the area.”

Summer is nearly over and students will trade in their beach towels for back packs as they gear up for a new school year. While most children anticipate heading back to school, some parents worry about juggling the cost of school supplies with the family budget. With this in mind, BEVCOMM will distribute FREE school supplies in their first, Back to School - FREE School Supply Event! BEVCOMM Employees and student volunteers packed 2,000 bags to be distributed to students in telephone serving areas.

Stop by any local BEVCOMM office from August 1st - August 31st and pick-up FREE school supplies for children in grades Kindergarten thru 5th Grade. School supply bags are packaged with pencils, erasers, glue, scissors, pencil bags, notebooks and more. Supplies are limited and will be issued on a first come, first serve basis.

January 26, 2011 - BEVCOMM’s recent upgrade in Wells, Winnebago, Freeborn, Delavan, Easton, Frost, and Bricelyn provides new service to customers. Never miss your favorite programming again with Digital Video Recording (DVR) from BEVCOMM TV. DVR allows you to watch TV on your own schedule with just a push of a button; you can record one program or an entire season. Along with the power to fast-forward and rewind, you can pause live TV until you're ready to start watching. You can even watch one program while recording another.

BEVCOMM’s local customer service representatives and technicians in Wells are ready to serve your communication needs. BEVCOMM offers Digital TV, High Speed Internet, and phone services in Bricelyn, Delavan, Easton, Freeborn, Frost, Wells, and Winnebago.

August 1, 2010 - BEVCOMM’s continued investment in a state-of-the-art fiber optic network will connect residential homes in New Prague. At no additional charge, BEVCOMM customers will be upgraded to the finest communication technology available today.

Due to the tremendous bandwidth available over a fiber connection, BEVCOMM will deliver telephone, digital television with many enhanced features, and even faster Internet speeds to your home. In addition to these exceptional services, a fiber connection provides added bandwidth allowing for future technological developments.

When asked about the decision to invest in a fiber network, BEVCOMM Exchange Manager, Dirk Berger states, "We make this investment because we believe it will contribute to the economic vitality of our community and allow us to serve our customers with the greatest communication services available today." BEVCOMM will invest $7 million dollars in the community of New Prague with its Fiber to the Home construction project.

Construction began in the summer of 2009 and is expected to continue through 2011. "You may have noticed an increased presence of BEVCOMM vehicles in your neighborhood," states Berger, "a BEVCOMM technician will make a personal visit to each and every home to obtain permission for construction as well as answer any questions you may have in regards to the project."

For more information about BEVCOMM’s Fiber to the Home project, stop by the local office or call 952-758-2501.

PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY
The Bevcomm Internet Services Acceptable Use Policy has been formulated with the following goals in mind:

• Ensure security, reliability and privacy of Bevcomm systems and network, and the networks and systems of others
• Avoid situations that may cause Bevcomm to incur civil liability
• Maintain the image and reputation of Bevcomm as a responsible content provider
• Preserve the value of Internet resources as a conduit for free expression
• Encourage the responsible use of net resources, discouraging practices which degrade the usability of network resources and thus the value of Internet services
• Preserve the privacy and security of individual users

The Acceptable Use Policy below defines the actions which Bevcomm considers to be abusive, and thus, strictly prohibited. The examples named in this list are non-exclusive, and are provided solely for guidance to Bevcomm Customers. If you are unsure whether any contemplated use or action is permitted, please send mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will assist you.

GENERAL CONDUCT
Customers are prohibited from transmitting on or through any of Bevcomm services, any material that is, in Bevcomm’s sole discretion, unlawful, obscene, threatening, abusive, libelous, or hateful, or encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, gives rise to civil liability, or otherwise violates any local, state, national or international law.

Bevcomm services may only be used for lawful purposes. Transmission, distribution, or storage of any information, data or material in violation of United States or state or local regulation or law, or by the common law, is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, material protected by copyright, trademark, trade secret, or any other statute. Bevcomm reserves the right to remove such illegal material from its servers.

The customer is responsible for keeping his billing data with Bevcomm up-to-date and accurate. Furnishing false data on the signup form, contract, or online application, including fraudulent use of credit card numbers, is grounds for immediate termination, and may subject the offender to civil or criminal liability. The resale or sharing of Bevcomm products and services on or off premises is not permitted, unless specifically permitted and documented in a written agreement. Example: Sharing one Broadband plan between two households.

SYSTEM AND NETWORK SECURITY
Customers may not attempt to circumvent user authentication or security of any host, network, or account ("hacking"). This includes, but is not limited to, accessing data not intended for the Customer, logging into a server or account the Customer is not expressly authorized to access, or probing the security of other networks (such as running a scan or similar tool).

Customers may not attempt to interfere with service to any user, host, or network ("denial of service attacks"). This includes, but is not limited to, "flooding" of networks, deliberate attempts to overload a service, and attempts to "crash" a host. Customers may not use any kind of program/script/command, or send messages of any kind, designed to interfere with a user's terminal session, via any means, locally or by the Internet.

Bevcomm reserves the right to enforce user session time limits during periods of activity and inactivity. Users who violate systems or network security may incur criminal or civil liability. Bevcomm will cooperate fully with investigations of violations of systems or network security at other sites, including cooperating with law enforcement authorities in the investigation of suspected criminal violations.

WEB HOSTING OR INTERNET USE
Customers must protect the privacy of other users, and not intentionally seek information on, obtain copies of or modify files, other data, or passwords belonging to other users without permission.

Customers must respect the legal protection provided by copyright, trademark, licenses, and other laws to programs, data and documents. Customers may not upload to Bevcomm servers any data or software that is subject to distribution or copyright limits. High Speed Internet customers will be prohibited from using residential broadband service for web, gaming, or other hosting type servers. Customers wishing to use broadband service for these purposes must subscribe to the business rate service.

E-MAIL
Harassment, whether through language, frequency, or size of messages, is prohibited. Customers may not send email to any person who does not wish to receive it. If a recipient asks to stop receiving email, the customer must not send that person any further email.

Customers are explicitly prohibited from sending unsolicited bulk mail messages ("junk mail" or "spam"). This includes, but is not limited to, bulk-mailing of commercial advertising, informational announcements, and political tracts. Such material may only be sent to those who have explicitly requested it. Malicious email, including but not limited to "mailbombing" (flooding a user or site with very large or numerous pieces of email), is prohibited. Forging of e-mail header information is not permitted.

Bevcomm accounts or services may not be used to collect replies to messages sent from another Internet Service Provider, where those messages violate this Acceptable Use Policy or the Acceptable Use Policy of that other provider.

It is the responsibility of the customer to check their email often and set their mail client to delete email from the server once it is downloaded. Bevcomm will also delete email from the server when the limit of 50 megabytes is exceeded. Incoming email messages are not currently limited in size, but you should not normally need to store multi-megabyte email files on the email server. Outgoing email messages are currently limited to 25 megabytes and the maximum number of recipients is 25. Large files (5 Mb or larger) may be difficult or impossible to retrieve using a dial-up connection.

ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE
Bevcomm enforces its Acceptable Use Policies in the manner described below. For more details about these policies and the procedure for filing a formal letter of complaint, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Prohibited Uses of Email, Web Hosting, or Internet Services.
Upon first violation of one of these policies, Bevcomm will issue a written warning to the customer. Upon the second violation of one of these policies, Bevcomm will suspend the customer’s internet service account until the customer executes a Bevcomm approved and prepared Cease-and-Desist Agreement. Upon a third violation of one of these policies, Bevcomm will suspend the customer’s account for a period of 30 days. A fourth violation of these policies will result in a suspension of the customer’s internet account for a period of 6 months. A fifth violation will result in the final termination of the customer’s account.

OTHER PROHIBITED USES
Bevcomm will generally follow a procedure of issuing a written warning after the first violation, suspending service until a written agreement of cease-and-desist is received after the second violation, and terminating service after the third violation.

Bevcomm reserves the right to suspend or terminate any Bevcomm account and services in accordance with the provisions of this Acceptable Use Policy or for any reason not prohibited by law.

MODIFICATIONS
Bevcomm reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. Current copies of this and other Bevcomm policies are available at www.bevcomm.net.

Are long-distance calls not getting through to you? Many people in rural America are experiencing intermittent problems receiving long-distance phone calls from across the country. You may have encountered any of the following:

• Someone tells you he/she tried to call you but the call didn't get through, or the caller heard ringing but you didn't.
• A call came through to you but the quality was poor.
• A call came through but the Caller ID was incorrect.

The problem starts with the long-distance carrier used by the customer who makes the call, and can only be resolved by this carrier. Local telecommunications providers, such as Bevcomm, are not the cause of the problem. We strive to provide excellent service at all times, and are as frustrated as you are by the illegal practices of some long-distance carriers and their agents.

It is illegal for long-distance carriers to block, choke, or reduce long distance traffic and that this prohibition also includes any practices that lead to call termination or call quality problems as well.

The nationwide epidemic is negatively affecting local businesses, public safety and our relationship with our customers. Rural carriers have filed complaints with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and state agencies. The FCC has created a task force to investigate and address the issue. Rural telco advocates are encouraging swift and severe action against all providers at the center of the problem.

Click here for more information on the call completion issue or to file a complaint with the FCC. We'll continue to monitor this situation and keep you updated. As always, please contact us if you have questions or concerns.

The National Do Not Call Registry places consumers in charge of the telemarketing calls they get at home. The Federal government created the national registry to make it easier and more efficient for you to stop getting telemarketing calls you don’t want. You can register online at https://www.donotcall.gov/ or call toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to register. Registration is free.

This Privacy Policy addresses the privacy of Bevcomm customers. It identifies the type of data and information Bevcomm collects, how we use it, and the steps we take to protect privacy.

Members of the Bevcomm family of companies that collect and/or use customer information have agreed to the privacy practices in this Privacy Policy. The Bevcomm family of companies includes Rural Communications Holding Corporation and its affiliated and subsidiary entities. These members are referred to in this Privacy Policy as “Bevcomm” or “we.”

IMPORTANT: When a customer signs up for certain Bevcomm-offered services, the customer may agree to policies that address service-specific privacy practices. For example, Bevcomm dial-up and High-speed Internet services customers are subject to additional privacy practices.

In the normal course of providing telecommunications services, Bevcomm collects and maintains certain information about customer accounts. This information, when matched to a customer’s name, address, and calling or originating billing telephone number, is known as Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI).

Examples of CPNI include information typically available from details on a customer’s monthly telephone bill—the type of line, technical characteristics, class of service, current telephone charges, long distance and local service billing record, directory assistance charges, usage data, and calling patterns.

We maintain CPNI to provide our customers with detailed and accurate billing information. We do not sell CPNI to unaffiliated third parties and abide by the federal and/or state CPNI rules that apply to all telecommunications carriers.

When a customer subscribes to our local telephone service, we offer the customer the opportunity to request that his/her name, telephone number, and address not be published in directories or be made available through directory assistance.

We will not provide a customer’s personal information to unaffiliated third parties for the marketing of third-party products without our customer’s consent.

We will keep our customer’s personal information secure and confidential through safeguards such as secure encryption technology and by requiring the entry of usernames and passwords to access personal information.

Information we collect and use:
Bevcomm collects and uses customer information such as name, address, and telephone number. Personal information, such as demographics, billing, payment and transaction information, including credit card numbers, account numbers, and/or social security numbers, may be combined with customer information.

We may use personal information to monitor our customers’ quality of service and/or to provide products and services.

We also use personal information to market and sell Bevcomm-offered products and services.

We maintain and/or collect email addresses from customers to provide product and service information and confirmation. Email addresses may be used for marketing Bevcomm-offered products and services.

Information we disclose to third parties:
We provide personal information to third parties solely in order to provide certain Bevcomm-offered products and services. For example, we disclose customer personal information to long distance carriers and their affiliates solely in order to provide long distance services.

We may share necessary personal information with third parties, such as shipping companies, to complete an order.

We may, where permitted by law, provide personal information to credit bureaus, or provide information and/or sell receivables to collection agencies, to obtain payment for Bevcomm-offered products and services.

We must disclose information, when requested, to comply with court orders, warrants, or subpoenas. We will also share information when necessary to prevent unlawful use of communications services, when necessary to repair network outages, and when a customer dials 911 and information regarding their location is transmitted to a public safety agency.

Your name and number may also be transmitted and displayed on a Caller ID device unless you have elected to block such information. Please note that Caller ID Blocking does not prevent the display of your number when you dial certain business numbers, 911, 900 numbers, or toll-free 800, 888, 877, or 866 numbers.

Changes to this policy:
Our Privacy Policy is regularly reviewed and revised to make sure we continue to serve the best interests of our customers.

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect any changes.

Privacy Policy changes will be posted on our website at www.bevcomm.net.

If you have questions or concerns regarding this statement, you should first contact us via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Personal Information
When you interact with us, we automatically receive and store certain types of information, such as the content you view, the date and time that you view this content, the products you purchase, or your location information associated with your IP address. We use the information we collect to serve you more relevant advertisements (referred to as “Retargeting”). This is statistical information used to monitor the usage of our website and for advertising purposes. This information does not include personal information.

Cookies
As you browse bevcomm.net, advertising cookies will be placed on your computer so that we can understand what you are interested in. Our display advertising partner, AdRoll, then enables us to present you with retargeting advertising on other sites based on your previous interaction with bevcomm.net. The techniques our partners employ do not collect personal information such as your name, email address, postal address or telephone number. You can visit this page AdRoll Privacy to opt out of AdRoll and their partners' targeted advertising.

The Telephone Equipment Distribution Program provides telephone equipment to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind, speech impaired or have a physical disability and need adaptive equipment in order to use the phone. DHS loans the equipment at no cost for as long as you need the equipment. To learn more visit the MN Department of Human Resources.

http://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/people-with-disabilities/services/deaf-hard-of-hearing/programs-services/telephone-equipment.jsp

Minnesota Relay is a free, federally mandated Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) program that allows individuals who are deaf, blind, hard of hearing, or speech disabled to place and receive telephone calls.

A specially trained communications assistant (CA) facilitates the telephone conversation between the person with a hearing or speech disability and other individuals.

Calls can be made to anywhere in the world (standard charges apply for long-distance calls), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls are completely confidential.

Minnesota Relay is administered by the Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM) program within the Minnesota Department of Commerce, and is funded by a monthly surcharge on each wired and wireless telephone access line, and a fee on each pre-paid wireless retail transaction, in the state.

The state contracts with Sprint Communications Company, LP to provide Minnesota Relay services. The Minnesota Relay call center is located in Moorhead, MN.

For more information regarding relay services visit Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) at the Federal Communications Communication, or download the Minnesota Relay brochure.

Telephone Discounts Can Help You Stay In Touch

Minnesota's Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) and the federal Lifeline Program help make telephone service affordable to low-income consumers. 

TAP offers a $10.00 per month discount on home landline telephone service. 

The Lifeline Program offers a $5.25 per month discount on home landline service and $9.25 discount on home internet service.

How do I find out if I am eligible? Click here to learn more. 

How do I apply? Your phone service provider can assist you with the application(s) or contact the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for assistance, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 651-296-0406 or 1-800-657-3782. Learn more here.