Electric cooperatives in the highly competitive broadband market are harnessing NRTC’s mobile service and broadband bundles to help them retain existing high-speed internet subscribers and attract new ones—all without adding staff or infrastructure.

NRTC designed its “white-label” mobile service as a turnkey solution for co-op broadband subsidiaries to offer mobile service under their own brands without significant capital investment. NRTC handles customer billing, agreements and support, as well as the online process for choosing plans and devices.

Participating co-ops have seen increases in broadband subscriptions since adding mobile service, said Craig Andrew, NRTC president, mobile solutions.

“The ultimate goal is to protect the co-op’s investment in their broadband customer,” Andrew said. “Mobile provides an add-on service that creates stickiness between broadband subscribers and their co-op.”

Co-ops may not match national internet service providers’ offers of free devices or contract buyouts, but customers can activate the service at a local office, get hands-on support from a trusted community provider and keep their current phone number, he said.

NRTC launched its mobile bundle for broadband providers in 2024. Today, 65 companies use it, including four electric co-ops. NRTC is actively working with an additional 20 electric co-ops to evaluate or launch mobile service.

United Fiber, the broadband arm of Savannah, Missouri-based United Electric Cooperative, rolled out United Mobile in June and now serves more than 150 mobile lines.

“We are still early in the process; however, our pace is picking up,” United Fiber General Manager Darren Farnan said. “We expect our results to grow substantially over the next 12 months and beyond.”

Initial subscribers were existing broadband customers, but the co-op attributes some new broadband business to the mobile service as several customers switched broadband providers to obtain United Mobile.

“We’re continuing to mature as an internet provider and being a total solution provider,” Farnan said. United Mobile does “not give our customers or potential customers a reason to go somewhere else.”

NRTC’s white-label mobile service “fits in well with what we're doing both on the residential and commercial side,” Farnan said. “It gives us flexibility for backup services and other things that we’ve not had access to in the past.”

In Maryland, Choptank Fiber, the broadband arm of Denton-based Choptank Electric Cooperative, introduced its mobile service exclusively to its 6,200 broadband subscribers in November 2024.

“It’s just another way to build that loyal fiber customer, and NRTC makes it really easy,” said Katie Luckett, the co-op’s director of marketing, communications and education. “The more services that we provide and that they take advantage of, the less likely they are to leave.”

Adoption has been gradual, partly due to customers’ existing carrier contracts or outstanding device payments, Luckett said. Yet a recent co-op survey of mobile customers showed strong satisfaction, with nearly 100% saying they would recommend the service.

“It really helps that it's connected with Choptank Electric Cooperative because our members have such a high level of trust in the electric co-op that carries over into the fiber and mobile. They know that it's our local linemen and technicians,” said Luckett. “It's a really simple, value-added service that electric co-ops with broadband can provide their fiber customers.”