ENMR•Plateau Telecommunications
7111 N. Prince Street
Clovis, NM 88102

Driven by need and created by vision, rural citizens residing on the High Plains of eastern New Mexico have benefited from telephone services for more than five decades. The creation of the Eastern New Mexico Rural Telephone Cooperative (now referred to as ENMR•Plateau) by an interested group of area farmers, ranchers, and other citizens has been far-reaching. Before, rural citizens had been lacking dependable, quality telephone service. Regulatory agencies were quick to recognize this unmet need and the importance for supplying reliable and affordable phone service; therefore, these groups became very supportive of this small company's initiatives. In more recent times, residents have enjoyed other modern telecommunications technologies including mobile phones, long distance service, business solutions, dial-up Internet, and high-speed Internet provided by ENMR•Plateau.

The earliest periods of service came as a result of an arrangement between the Clovis-based Farmer's Electric Cooperative and ENMR by sharing the same facilities. As services were upgraded, there became a need for more physical space, greater independence, and the application of improved business strategies. These changes also necessitated the hiring of the first full-time general manager and operations were moved to its current location on the northern outskirts of the City of Clovis. Early beginnings witnessed financial conditions and other obstacles which were not easily conquered. Eventually, a growing number of subscribers provided the necessary financial stability to improve borrowing power, allowed for greater investments, the purchase of newer technologies, and offered members capital credits for their participation.

When the federal court rulings in the mid-1980s dismantled the nationally known telephone network providers, smaller companies like ENMR•Plateau derived benefit. Choices by customers created competitive markets for added services. Knowing that larger, nationally recognized companies would be more hesitant to enter underserved rural areas created a condition and business opportunity for ENMR to begin its subsidiary operation (Plateau Telecommunications).

Increasing demands of a faster paced society and the advent of rapid, reliably good telecommunications systems caused the Board of Directors to accept the recommendations of management to invest in fiber optic cabling, modern networking equipment, and the establishment of strategically located retail stores. Company-owned and shared fiber optic cable network now exceeds 1,500 miles from Amarillo to El Paso and from Albuquerque to Lubbock. Due to this investment, many business development opportunities have been and continue to be created enhancing the economic stability of the region. Multiple sales and customer care locations are now an expected convenience. New Mexico locations include Clovis, Ft. Sumner, Santa Rosa, Clayton, Logan, Vaughn, Roswell, Carlsbad, and Artesia. Texas outlets exist in Farwell, Levelland, and Plainview. Approximately forty other agent locations are available to customers in various segments of the region as well.

Due to the advent of the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, ENMR•Plateau will consider all business options-to the extent of becoming a competitive local exchange carrier in certain markets. In essence, the Act has opened the door for expanded business strategies including bundling of telephony, high speed Internet, broad bandwidth spectrum for data transmission, and future video-conferencing. Favorable economic conditions and earnings growth will determine future investments, new services, and programs to make a closer connection with the customers.

ENMR•Plateau's achievements are laden with success stories. With approximately 12000 landline customers and 75,000 wireless accounts, customers continually praise the local technical support and reliability of service. Internet subscribers exceed 15,000 throughout the region. Customer satisfaction is at an all-time high, so the future is indeed bright for the company.

A Message from the Chief Executive Officer, Tom Phelps

"Among the many assets of ENMR•Plateau are its people. Not only do they serve the company with their many talents and abilities, employees give generously of their time and resources where they work and live, where they raise their families, and where they spend their leisure time. Along with company encouragement, multiple hours of support have been donated by employees to community projects, school events, youth sports programs, local government assistance, and not to be overlooked, to numerous charitable organizations such as United Way, Special Olympics, youth programs, Relays for Life, local churches, and other civic organizations.

As a company, we are committed in our belief and support strong economic development activities in the state and region. The Board approved a matching grant program for each service-area community whose leaders have the desire to increase potential through new jobs, business retention, and job growth projects. Awards totaling more than $150,000 have been granted during the first three years of the Nuestro Vecinos—Our Neighbors Program. In addition, ENMR•Plateau was instrumental in developing and advancing the first rural school project that allows two-way interactive television to be used among schools, colleges, and governmental agencies within the region. This system has been effectively in place approaching two decades.

Rapid changes in technology and customer expectations for on-line services, new products, reliable telecommunications, and other demands have presented many interesting challenges as well as opportunities. It is with eager anticipation that ENMR•Plateau remains postured to meet those challenges headlong and approach new opportunities with high levels of certainty."