SDN Communications has 17 member companies covering more than 80 percent of South Dakota's geography and reaching into southwestern Minnesota, northwestern Iowa and North Dakota. Over the next few months, we'll introduce you to all of the companies. We started with Alliance Communications and Beresford Municipal Telephone Co. Next up is Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative.
Headquarters: Clear Lake, SD
Other physical locations: Brookings, Webster, and Milbank.
Name of CEO/GM and years with company: Tracy Bandemer, 28 years
Other members of executive team: Josh Cokens, Network Operations Manager, Jim Canaan, Support Services Manage
Year formed: 1954
Number of employees: 66
Website: itc-web.com
History: Since beginning operations in 1954, ITC has transformed from a dependable telephone service provider into an innovative cooperative offering fiber-fast Internet, phone, and streaming TV services. ITC initiated its Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) build-outs in 2006 and achieved 100% fiber coverage for all members in 2020. The expansion continued, reaching Lincoln County, MN, and parts of Grant, Codington, Hamlin, and Brookings counties. In 2022, ITC began fiber-optic construction within Ivanhoe, MN, and expanded to a section of Lake County, SD, the following year. Recently, ITC launched a fiber-optic expansion in the western portion of Yellow Medicine County. Governed by an 11-member Board of Directors representing nine districts, ITC remains at the forefront of technology, committed to bridging the digital divide and connecting communities.
Services offered: Fiber-Fast Internet, Phone, Streaming TV, Hosted Voice, Managed IT Services
Square miles in service area: 5,500 square miles in northeastern South Dakota and western Minnesota.
Population in coverage area: Approximately 50,000.
Expansion areas/current construction: Since 2020 we have completed six expansion projects. Currently, ITC is expanding to areas of rural Canby in western Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. This project will be completed in 2025.
Notable towns, cities in coverage area:
Arco, MN
Arlington, SD - rural only
Astoria, SD
Big Stone City, SD - rural only
Bradley, SD
Brandt, SD
Brookings, SD - rural only
Bryant, SD
Canby, MN - rural only
Castlewood, SD
Chester, SD
Clark, SD
Clear Lake, SD
Elkton, SD
Estelline, SD
Florence, SD
Gary, SD
Goodwin, SD
Hayti, SD
Hendricks, MN
Ivanhoe, MN
Lake Benton, MN
Lake Norden, SD
Madison, SD - rural only
Milbank, SD
Minneota, MN - rural only
Nunda, SD
Porter, MN
Revillo, SD
Sinai, SD
South Shore, SD
Stockholm, SD
Toronto, SD
Tyler, MN - rural only
Watertown, SD - rural only
Waubay, SD
Webster, SD
Wentworth, SD
White, SD
Willow Lake, SD
Organizations/charities that ITC supports: ITC supports numerous organizations throughout the communities it serves. Each year, ITC awards a total of twenty-four $700 scholarships to high school seniors. Scholarships are awarded to one graduating senior from each of the 23 school districts, plus one open enrollment student in the ITC service area. Also, in 2023, ITC launched an additional initiative to support school districts by offering a grant program for the development of esports programs.
Other interesting facts about company:
- We are celebrating 70 years of operation this year.
- We participate in over 25 parades throughout the year.
- The employees of ITC have more than 1,000 years of combined years of service.
