Our Members
NTCA has been working to build a more connected future for our members to better serve rural communities since 1954. Responding to consumer demand, these small businesses and independently owned providers have evolved beyond traditional telephone companies to become one-stop technology service providers, offering the Internet’s fastest speeds and numerous broadband-enabled services, including over-the-top video, home security, telemedicine, remote learning, computer repair and cloud services. As local providers with a half-century of experience serving areas they also call home, NTCA members’ commitment to their communities is second to none.
Serving America’s Most Rural Communities
NTCA members deliver high-quality communications services in the most sparsely populated, highest-cost rural areas of the country. As carriers that serve areas long ago left behind by larger companies, members provide reliable broadband, voice and data communications services in some of the hardest-to-serve and underserved corners of the United States in the face of substantial economic challenges.
An important focus of our members is reaping the greatest benefit for the greatest number of consumers using the limited resources available to build and sustain high-speed quality broadband in parts of the country that lack a business case for development.
Availability, Access and Speed
NTCA members are quite diverse, varying tremendously in size and offerings. As trusted technology solution providers for their rural hometowns, NTCA members often partner with local schools, hospitals and other civic entities to provide affordable, high-quality services that improve the lives of rural residents.
Key Facts
- Customer bases of NTCA members range from less than 100 subscribers to more than 50,000.
- On average, NTCA member companies’ customer density is approximately six subscribers per square mile. By contrast, larger telecommunications companies, on average, serve 130 customers per square mile.
- The smallest NTCA member company employs a staff of two, and the largest more than 400.
- Annual operating revenues for NTCA members range from less than $100,000 to more than $40 million.
According to a 2025 survey of NTCA members, approximately 92% of their customers, on average, can receive downstream speeds greater than or equal to 100 Mbps and over 79% of customers, on average, have access to Gigabit downstream speeds. These improvements in customer experience are driven by continuing efforts to expand the reach of robust and reliable underlying networks.