October is Member Appreciation Month at BTC, and it’s a good time to look back at how far we’ve come together. None of it happened without you.
Where It Started
In 1952, a group of residents in rural Bledsoe County set out to answer a simple question: did enough of their neighbors want telephone service to make it happen? It turned out they did. Families across Bledsoe County and parts of Van Buren and Cumberland Counties signed on, and on April 14, 1953, Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative was founded in Pikeville.
It was a cooperative from day one, owned by the people it served. That’s still true today.
Growing Across the Valley
In 1958, BTC acquired the Sequatchie Valley Mutual Telephone Company in Dunlap. Work began right away to switch those customers to a modern dial system. BTC also added long-distance lines to Dayton, connecting members to Chattanooga.
In 1963, BTC welcomed customers in the Luminary community. That same year, BTC became the first company in Tennessee to offer direct distance dialing. For the first time, members could place long-distance calls themselves without going through an operator.
A History of Firsts
Through the years, BTC kept finding ways to lead:
- In the 1970s, BTC offered mobile telephone service and extended service to Fall Creek Falls State Park.
- In 1972, BTC became the first company in Tennessee to put power buckets on all of its service trucks, keeping our line workers safer.
- By 1980, every party line had been upgraded to a private, single-party line.
- In 1981, BTC began building a cable TV system for the Sequatchie Valley.
- In 1994, BTC brought DirecTV satellite service to members in the more rural parts of our area.
- In 1995, BTC became the very first internet provider in the Sequatchie Valley. It started with dial-up, and by the late 1990s members could get faster DSL service.
Bringing Fiber Home
In 2008, BTC built its first fiber-to-the-home network, serving a new subdivision. Fiber worked so well that it shaped the rest of BTC’s network upgrades, with fiber steadily replacing copper lines.
By 2014, BTC had brought fiber throughout its network and built a fiber system in a rural part of Bledsoe County. The work kept going from there, and today BTC’s network is 100% fiber. Every home and business we serve is connected by fiber, one of the fastest and most reliable ways to get online. That’s the work behind the name you know today: BTC Fiber.
Where We Are Today
Seventy-three years after our neighbors first came together for phone service, BTC is still finding new ways to serve. We now offer mobile phone service through Trilight Mobile, so members can get their phone service from the same local team they already know and trust.
Still Your Cooperative
A lot has changed since 1953, but our purpose hasn’t. BTC exists so that our members can live here on the Cumberland Plateau without missing out on the entertainment, education and job opportunities that come with fast, reliable internet.
We’re still owned by our members, and our employees are your neighbors. When you call BTC, you’re talking to someone who calls this place home too.
Thank You
For 73 years, you’ve made this cooperative what it is. Come see us any Tuesday in October at our Dunlap or Pikeville office for Tech Tuesdays & Treats. Bring your tech questions, pick up a treat, and let us thank you in person.
Here’s to the next chapter, together.
