The Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company is located at 214 North Main Street in Mabel, MN. It serves subscribers in both Minnesota and Iowa in an area of approximately 196 square miles. Communities served in Minnesota include Mabel, Newburg, and Prosper and served in Iowa are Hesper, Bluffton, Burr Oak, and Ridgeway.
The first directory for the city of Mabel and rural farmer’s exchanges was published May 1, 1906 for about 400 subscribers. In 1915, the Mabel Telephone Exchange Company was incorporated. This was one of the first steps taken to bring the rural and town subscribers together. The Mabel Exchange Company was formed to be a switching office for the 27 rural lines and the city. In 1925, four more rural lines were added from Iowa to bring the rural lines to 31.
In 1960, the Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company was started and the goal was to put one-party service to all subscribers. The headquarters building and single party dial system was completed and placed into operation in 1965-1966.
Ridgeway is located in Iowa, and the telephone company was formed March 15, 1905 under the name Lincoln Telephone Company. In September 1964, the Ridgeway Cooperative Telephone Company was formed by the merger of the Lincoln, Madison, and Orleans telephone companies. September 29, 1967, a new brick building was completed with a new one-party system. On January 1, 1970, Ridgeway Cooperative Telephone Company became an exchange of the Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company.
Mabel Cooperative Telephone Company is now 100% built-out with fiber to its entire service area offering broadband and landline services with exceptional, local customer service.