It’s no secret that staying connected is vital in 2024. Virtually anything is done online, from socializing, to doctors’ visits, to jobs—but staying connected in rural areas can be difficult, if there’s no one willing to connect it’s residents with vital infrastructure like electricity or internet. 

This is where cooperatives like Pioneer Telephone come in.

What’s a Cooperative Anyway?

A cooperative is a community-owned entity where you're not just a number— instead, you're a member with a voice. Whether it’s through casting your vote at membership meetings or electing a board of trustee, you have a voice with cooperatives that you don’t see with traditional businesses. And with Pioneer’s 71st Annual Meeting coming up on May 7, you have the chance to get involved! 

Why Should You Care?

Here at Pioneer, we’re bringing cutting-edge fiber connectivity to the furthest corners of Rural Oklahoma. This isn’t just about faster internet; it’s about empowering our rural residents with real-time agricultural data, supporting students and remote workers, and ensuring reliable, high-speed connections for every one of our members.

Rural areas have challenges with connectivity and infrastructure, which is why many traditional providers hesitate to invest in these areas. With lower population density and the perceived (low) return on investment, many companies don’t see building fiber to rural areas as worth it. That’s not the case with cooperatives. Pioneer wants to keep rural Oklahoma on the map and provide the same opportunities to our communities that residents get in the city.

And, because we operate on a not-for-profit basis, any profits are reinvested into the cooperative or returned to members like you through community investments and capital credits. Pretty cool, right?